The New Year
by Annabelle Rose the Hedgehog
Summary: Annie and Angie are back with some freshman experiences to look forward to and part of their adventure involoves the son of one of Angie's past teachers crushing on her. Then there's the matter of family problems with Daniel.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, I'm back. I told you I would have something come Winter Break. Well, here you go the sequel to my first story The New Hedgehog. Thanks to all who've kept with me, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Sonic characters**

**Also, the chapters get better, trust me. Read ahead.**

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Angie's POV

The first day of high school, a day I've been dreading for awhile now. Daniel wasn't with me to endure this too. Yesterday would be the last day I would see him for awhile. We agreed that we wouldn't see each other until we were used to the new semester. So, I'd say about two weeks or so, well, for me, anyway. What's good is that I look forward to him joining me in high school next year.

Annie was nervous too. Last night we spent almost two hours deciding what I was going to wear. Outfit after outfit, I'd try it on and Annie would fine some sort of flaw with it. I felt like a zombie in a never ending cycle. I honestly wanted something that was comfortable that I could move in. We finally decided on my best jeans and a grey shirt that reached my thighs and had a peace sign with the word Peace over it and Love under it. The inside of the peace sign is a map of the world.

When I got out of the car my mom said, "Have a good day sweetie." She smiled at me.

I faked a smile to the best of my abilities to let her believe that I was fine. "Thanks Mom, see you." The cheerfulness in my voice was faked too but believable. Surprisingly, I'm a pretty good actress. I think it was because when I'd perform with the choir we were trained to give expression in our faces to go with the music or the song. She drove off, leaving me on the side walk in front of the school.

I turned around to face the building that I'd be entering and leaving for the year. The school was huge and made me feel smaller than I normally do. I walked towards the front door and stopped dead in my tracks.

"_Take a deep breath. Come on Angie. We'll get through it together." _

I did what she said and then opened the door. I stepped in and made my way straight up the stairs. I found myself in Blue House. There are four houses Red, Green, Blue and Gold House. Each House is a lunch room with an area for lockers opposite of it.

The first day of school had a _Special_ schedule. At 8 we'd have to be in Division or as it's commonly known as homeroom. We're there for like an hour and then we'd go off and follow our schedules. Our classes would be half an hour allowing us to leave at 3. We have second to ninth periods with first period removed due to cut backs.

I noticed two kids who went to the same elementary school as me. They're names were Genesis and Isaiah. She had black frames, a nice face and curly hair that always looked wet. He was pretty tall and had a face that usually says 'I'm proud to be me.' His hair is dark and short. He is a genius with numbers.

They waved and smiled at me. The kind of polite smiles that you would give a person you could live without. We weren't exactly friends but they were better than nothing. I walked up to them and we engaged in small talk. Then we headed straight for our Division rooms. The bell here doesn't sound like a bell at all it sounds more like a siren. That sound is going to hurt my ears for awhile I just know it.

My Division teacher was pretty large and not much taller than me. She looked to be in her fifties or sixties and had blond hair that came to the end of her face.

Our Division room turned out to be a computer lab. The teacher was a Cubs fan. I could tell because she's got a little flag and a poster in the room. I hope there won't be debates on the White Sox and the Cubs. It takes two home teams to divide a city. The rest of the room was filled with business education posters. I will find out later that the room was also used for a business related club that my Division teacher promotes.

What we basically did was an icebreaker and chose locker partners. My partner was a girl named Stephanie. She had long hair and seemed to be the always happy type. We used a key lock that I got at registration a few weeks ago.

The bell rang and I was off to my Third period class.

Here are my classes:

To get to my classes I used the map at the back of a folder that came with registration. At each class I sat near the door and at the front of the room. I prefer it to the back, I can see and hear better. It seemed typical, you go in, they take attendance, mispronounce a few names and then go over expectations and what they're class is about, simple enough.

Lunch came. I decided to go outside. I wasn't hungry, but I definitely will be after school. Oh well. I decided to work in my sketch book to pass the timeI ended up drawing a squirrel by a tree.

"_That's pretty good."_

"_Thanks. Hey how come you haven't said anything all day?"_

"_I don't know..."_

"_Well, come tomorrow I'll need you."_

"_Right, Review of Literature, P.E. and socializing."_

"_I think we can share socializing."_

"_Oh, alright, but I'm definitely not doing Spanish, Algebra or Biology."_

"_But we share Art."_

"_That'll apply on Mobius too, right?"_

"_Yup, but you know I don't think that we'll be able to take a language on Mobius. I don't think they speak different languages."_

To make school fair we decided to share the burden. Our strengths determine the classes we take and which we don't have to worry about. We share any art and music because we both like to be creative. The two of us will be the perfect team.

Then I looked at my watch and saw that the period was almost over.

"_We'd better get to class."_

I went straight for my Review of Literature class. I sat in the front close to the door. My teacher was behind her desk not too far away from my seat. She looked to be in her forties or so. Her hair was short and a dark blond color. It looks like she takes good care of herself. Then as you've predicted she went over an overview of the course.

"_I just hope you're ready for her." _

"_You do realize that I don't know how to write."_

"_What, then how do you know how to read?"_

"_I don't, you're the one who reads. I just pick up some things that are interesting and find patterns. I can see something that you don't when you read."_

"_You know this changes everything."_

"_Hey how hard could it be? I think I can pick it up no problem."_

"_You can't just pick up a language. I mean, look at me; I can't speak Spanish all too well. I hardly know how to write in Spanish."_

"_Well, how about I tell you what to write and what you should notice?"_

"_Alright, but when we go to Mobius, I don't think that can work and I don't think that you'll be able to write on your own."_

"_Can't you control my movements?"_

"_Oh yeah, I forgot that we can control each other's movements."_

The bell rang and I was off to Biology. The room had two rows of tables with four in each row. I sat at the front table farthest from the door. In between the rows of tables were sinks. On the shelves were microscopes and test tubes. I think I'll be right at home here.

The time came for my last class. FINALLY! The first day of school is always the most boring. We know they expect much of us already. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

Algebra1 was going to be a bore. Why, because I've already taken it. I failed the exit exam by one point, one measly little point. Since then, my confidence in math has decreased by 10%. I hope that I can stay awake to take it.

The teacher was young, she looked liked she just came out of college. Indeed she had.

"_Hopefully you can stay awake."_

"_Yeah no kidding. New teachers don't always do their best their first year. But maybe she'll go easy on us."_

"_She probably will. She seems nice."_

"_It's all the same. The first half of the year will practically have me napping." _

"_What about the second half?"_

"_That's when things will get complicated. I hate exponents."_

"_Is that what got you last time?"_

"_Yup, if she's anything like Mr. Prince, then I should be fine."_

The final bell rang and it was time to go home. Mom was waiting for me outside. When I got in the car she asked, "How was your day?"

"Fine, I think I'll do great for my only year here."


	2. Chapter 2

Angie's POV

The second day of school was pretty exciting, for me, anyway. Strangely enough, it started in P.E. class. We were at the end of the building in our end of the main gym. The main gym is able to be cut in half by a portable and flexible wall.

I was sitting on the bleachers reading when Ms. Winters said, "Okay, line up." We had to sit in alphabetical order in rows of six or seven. I left my book in my backpack so I just sat there half listening to her as she called out our names to take attendance. "Benjamin."

That one name caught my attention. I asked myself 'Could he be Prince's son'?

Mr. Prince was my Algebra 1 and homeroom teacher last year. He's one of my favorites. He worked us but he also he also made us laugh being silly and telling us stories from his days in the Navy.

_After I knew I was coming to this school Mr. Prince said, "Really? My son Ben is going there too."_

_"Just three letters?"_

_"His name is actually Benjamin but we call him Ben for short, just like we call you Angie for short. _

_"Right, will I know if I see him."_

_"I have a picture of him right up there." Indeed, he did. A couple of months before, he had placed a picture of each of his children on the white board in the front of the room. I don't usually forget a face but if I see a picture first then it's not as effective. _

I saw his hand go up but I couldn't see his face, probably wouldn't have made a difference anyway. When she sent us to the bleachers I wanted to go and ask him if he was the same Ben but I was too shy to. Just when I progress I retrogress. This is not going to be a simple thing to break.

My public speaking skills have certainly improved but I still get shy around new people and trying to grab a person's attention. It's easier with a class presentation because then they have to pay attention or they lose points for not listening. I'd usually be a third wheel at first and then became more of a part of the group. I wouldn't talk all too much but my friends knew all it is that they needed to know: I was there to pay close attention and make sure they stood out of trouble. Most of the time they listened but sometimes they'd make sure to leave me out of it because 'I'd ruin the fun.' Them and their pranks, it's all fun and games before someone loses an eye.

_"Go talk to him."_

_"I can't."_

_"Yes you can, you're not nailed to the floor."_

But I felt like I was glued to my seat with no way to get up.

_"I just don't want to find out that he's not him."_

_"So what, if it's not him? You could still make a new friend."_

_"True, but I don't want to interrupt." _While we were on our way back to the bleachers I noticed that he was talking to some guys in the class.

_"Fine, then, come on, let's get back to the book."_

After P.E., I went to my locker to grab my lunch and to grab my books for my next classes and to put away the books I don't need any more. I left for Red House which was down the hallway from Blue House. Because we're not allowed to eat in Blue House (still don't understand why) anyone who was placed in Blue House has to get their lunch from either Red or Gold House.

Entering Red House I noticed Sonia, a girl in my Division with a boy I couldn't quite recognize. I would find out later that day that he's in my Biology class.

I walked up to them and asked, "Do you guys mind if I sit with you?" May as well start with some familiar ground.

"_Now, you're learning."_

Sonia responded, "No, go ahead, we're just waiting for Ben."

I set my lunch bag down. "Ben Prince?" I asked.

"Uhh…"

Then a boy popped up from behind her. "Hey what's up?" I assumed that he was the Ben she mentioned. I forgot about my little fear.

"Are you Ben Prince?"

"Ben Chronton Prince, yes."

A surge of excitement sky rocketed through my body. "Oh man your dad was one of my teachers last year. Hi, my name's Angie." I extended my hand and he took it.

"Can I hug you?"

I was caught off guard with that question. I looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Why?"

"Because you're so small and adorable that it makes me want to hug you." He sounded like a kid that just saw the hottest toy on the market.

"Okay…"

He wrapped his arms around my petite body. He's around a foot and a half taller than me. I went ahead and hugged his abdomen. Yes, I am that puny and he's that much taller than me.

"Look at this she is just so tiny and adorable." He was still sounding like that kid. When we let go he said, "You know I'm going to nick name you adorable."

"Yup, you're Mr. Prince's son alright."

"He beat me to it?"

"No, but he reacted to me the same way."

"Huh." He slightly nodded his head and then looked at two empty chairs at the table. He gestured his hands towards the chairs gentleman like. I smiled and sat down. Then, he took the empty chair to my left. "You know I just knew I'd meet one of my dad's students from last year. Who else is here from his last years class?"

"Genesis, Denise, and Isaiah, it's just the four of us that came here.

"Alright, umm, could you repeat your name at least fifteen times?"

"Why?" I stretched the whole word.

"It'll help me remember your name better."

"Okay…" Again, I stretched the word. I did what he said using my fingers to see where I was at.

"Thanks can't wait to tell my dad I met you." Then he looked down.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking my balls."

"Excuse me!"

"Huh, oh, no, no, no. I mean my Poke Walkers." He unhooked them from his pants and handed one to me so that I can see it. I've never seen one in real life. I used to watch the anime but I grew out of it, but sure looks like he hasn't. The walker looked just like a Poke Ball except for a few things: it's small and flat, had a screen in the middle and three little buttons at the bottom of the screen.

"Why do you have them here," I asked, handing it back to him.

As he grabbed it he said, "I never go anywhere without them. As he hooked it back to his pants he told me, "I took 'em to a wedding once."

"What?"

"Yeah, my parents were furious."

"And I can only imagine of how they punished you."

"Does my dad talk about home?" He looked at me as if to interrogate me.

"Yeah, he talks to us about just about everything. Especially you guys." We started to unpack our lunches after I said that. We all had the usual sandwich and chips with a little something extra that your mom/dad/guardian packed, all except for Ben. He had something that looked like a stuffed pancake with what looked like veggies and chicken sticking out at an open end. He took a bite out of it.

I must have been starring because he asked, "What?"

I shook my head out of the clouds. "Uh, heh, what is that?"

He looked at it and said, "I'm not sure what it's called but I think it's Egyptian."

"You think or you know?"

"I think." He looked back at me. "Now, where have I heard that phrase before?"

"I used to say it a lot in class. Your dad must've told you guys about my constant question."

Right after I said that, a girl with light brown hair came up to the table. She asked, "Mind if I join you guys?"

"Sure, grab a seat Molly," Sonia responded. Molly was like an inch or less taller than me with a light face.

"Hi, I'm Angie."

"I'm Ben, nice to meet ya."

"And I'm Pablo." She took a seat between Sonia and Pablo.

"Thanks you guys."

"No problem, come and sit with us anytime," Ben told her. She unpacked her lunch, again, the usual. We ate in silence for a few minutes. It was a nice kind of silence, the kind that allowed us to feel united as a whole. I remember this feeling from my years at my old school.

"So, how's your dad at home?"

"You know his dad?" Molly looked confused.

Ben answered for me."Yeah, she was in his eighth grade class last year."

"Your dad's a teacher?"

I answered this time. "Both his parents are."

"That's really cool."

"Sure, but it's not the best thing in the world." Then she and Sonia went on talking about an assignment while Pablo took a bite of his sandwich. "Now, to answer your question, he's probably the same as he is in class."

"Always ready to hit somebody."

"When he's mad he scowls at everyone."

"His face scrunches up when he gets agitated."

"Places stuff in some random place…"

"…and then forgets about it later."

"Tells stories of his childhood."

"Sings at random times."

With every detail we said our faces drew closer and closer and our voices grew high and excited. We ended up an inch or two away from each other. Once we realized this we drew back slowly.

"Uh huh." It was Sonia. We turned to her and the others and they were staring at us. I felt my face grow hot.

_"Oh boy, please don't tell me you're blushing."_

_"I'm embarrassed of course I'm blushing."_

_"You were so, about to kiss him."_

_"You're insane, I hardly know the guy."_

_"I'd say you know more about him than you think."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"Think about it, Mr. Prince talked about him all the time. You know a lot about him."_

_"But I don't know him like a best friend would."_

_"Best friend?"_

_"You know, maybe we should ask Tails to separate us."_

_"You know we can't do that, we're not stable enough."_

_"Then as soon as we're stable."_

_"You know you wouldn't do that."_

_"Maybe I would and maybe I wouldn't. Look, please leave my brain alone."_

_"Alright, alright, just don't go doing that again."_

_"Like it's gonna' happen again."_

Ben asked as he got up, "I'm going to vending machine, anyone else wanna' come."

"I do, my mom forgot to pack juice for me."

"Sure Angie," Sonia went on sarcastic.

"Sonia," Ben said like his dad would when someone forgot their homework.

"All right, okay I'm sorry."

He sighed. "Come on lets go." I grabbed my wallet and got up.

The vending machines or, the closest ones, any way, were on the bridge to the P.E. building. There were vending machines for water, juice, chips, gum, pop tarts and candy. I think you would know that sometimes what you want gets stuck, but also, sometimes they can give something out, by just pressing a button.

"So, how are your classes?"

I replied, "Fine, but Spanish is going to kill me!"

"How so?"

"I'm not bilingual."

"Neither am I and I'm taking Japanese 1."

"But that's a class for students who are just learning. My Spanish class is for students who can speak the language very fluently. I can hardly read it, I can't write it at all and I can't speak it all too well."

"Aren't they supposed to teach you to write and read?"

"Yeah but sometimes I have no idea of what she's saying because she talks to us in Spanish. I get the feeling that I'm going to make the class fall behind."

He stopped and so I stopped. "Have you talked to her?"

"We're going to see how I am after a week."

"So, if she thinks you'd be better off in a regular Spanish class you'll make the switch?"

"Even honors Spanish, I'd be fine with."

"I think honors would be your best bet."

"Maybe," we started walking again.

"How are your siblings?"

"Fine, I guess, for a couple of pains."

"Been there done that."

"You've got siblings?" He turned his head towards me and almost went into the wall. I pulled him out of harm's way. "Thanks."

"No problem, and um, yeah I've got a younger sister who's a tornado."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I think I can imagine."

"You think or you know?"

"I think. Should I get used to that?"

"Oh, yeah." I said that fast in a matter of fact-ly kind of way.

"I knew it." I giggled. We made it to a vending machine for juice. I got a fruit punch. The machine next to it mostly had pop tarts. He placed his money into the machine and pushed a few buttons. A package of pop tarts fell and he reached for them.

"Wait, I thought you weren't allowed to have sweets."

"Does he tell you guys everything?"

"He tells us a lot."

"Well, it's not like you're going to tell on me. At school is the only place that I can have sweets. And if my memory is correct your kind of a push over."

"Your right, but even if I wasn't a push over I wouldn't have told."

"Why?"

"Because your parents punish you pretty aggressively."

"Yeah it's a brand of tough love for me." We laughed and headed back.

_"Please don't fall in love all over again."_


	3. Chapter 3

Angie's POV

I think I'll be just fine here. Everyone seems very open minded and I don't feel weird for being studious. Okay well, some of us can be as lazy as we want and get a good grade, but that's beside the point. Sonia, Ben, Pablo, Molly… looks like I've got a few friends already. The second week in and I'm feeling normal.

And I met someone else I had a connection with. It's starting to feel like a small world. I don't know whether I'm excited or scared. Excited because everyone knows everyone and scared because I would get the feeling that the human race is coming to an end. But then again it would do the planet some good. You know, I'll get back to you on that.

I was on my way to the vending machines when I spotted a couple of Ackies. Ackies are what we call the seventh and eighth graders that go here on a program that the school has called the Academic Center. They are taught the usual classes that a middle school would offer them but they are able to earn high school credits too.

The two of them were boys. One had brown shaggy hair and black rectangular shaped glasses. His eyes were a blue green kind of color. He looked sort of familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. The other had straight blond hair, and clear glasses with round frames. His eyes were a light blue with a tint of gray.

I stood behind them waiting for them to be done with the vending machine. The metal spiraled under a bag of skittles. Then, it stopped with the bag perfectly balanced on top.

"Oh, no way," the brown haired boy said.

"It'll happen," I said. I sympathized. Somehow, around here, random people can say anything to someone and it won't seem weird.

"Yeah but it's not even touching the glass."

"I see you're point." I looked closer at it, he was right. He looked over at me. I think he took an interest in my shirt. I was wearing a red shirt that had the logo of the choir that I was in.

"Would you happen to know my brother Matt?"

"From where?"

"Choir."

"You're Matt's brother?" I was excited yet again like I was when I met Ben.

"Yup."

"Hi, I'm Angie." I stretched out my hand and he took it.

"Name's Eric and this is Charlie," He gestured to his blonde friend.

"Hi."

"Hey."

"Uh…, mind if I…," I pointed to the vending machine.

"Yeah I don't have much use for it now considering that was my last dollar." I giggled a little at that comment. I got my chips without a problem.

I was about to offer a dollar to Eric to see if he can have the bag of skittles that were still hanging there when I saw Ben coming our way, well, running in our direction. Eric had his back turned to him. He looked as if he was about to knock Eric down.

"_Stop him!"_

"Benjamin, don't you dare!" I sounded more like a mother than an agitated friend. Eric was startled and he looked behind him. He took a step back and I stepped in front of him. Ben stopped right in front of me.

"What the?" Not much a boy can say after about to be hit by a boy who was older than him.

Ben whispered to me as he looked behind me, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing," I whispered back.

"Well, sorry if I wanted to make sure you were all right."

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Uhh… there are two boys here that could hurt you."

"You're kidding me right," I didn't whisper that time. "We're talking about," I stopped not knowing whether they were seventh graders or eighth graders. I turned around and asked, "Are you in seventh or eighth grade?"

"Seventh."

"Thank you." I turned my head to look at Ben who was right next me. "We're talking about two seventh graders."

"Even so they're bigger than you."

"What's your point?" Eric piped up that question.

"My point is you can easily take advantage of her adorable size."

"Why would I do that?"

"You tell me."

"Okay Ben, please wait for me at the end of the bridge."

"But – "

"Ben," I stretched out his name in a mother like fashion. "I mean it now." He sighed and walked to the end of the bridge. I turned to Eric and Charlie and said, "I'm really sorry about that."

"No, it's okay, really."

"You sure?"

"Other than him giving me that look, I'm fine."

"Why do I get the feeling that I shouldn't turn around?"

"You probably shouldn't, might make you want to sock him."

I looked back at the vending machine and remembered that I was going to offer Eric a dollar to have another go at the machine. I took a dollar out of my wallet and asked, "Want to have another go at the skittles?"

He looked at the dollar in my hand. "Would it make him madder?"

"I'll take care of him don't worry."

He looked at me for a minute. Guess he wanted to make sure that I meant it.

"Sure." He nodded and took the dollar from my hand. "Thanks. Hey would you like the extra bag?"

"Sure, I guess as repayment."

"We can look at it that way I guess."

He placed the dollar into the machine, pressed a button and two bags fell from the spiraled metal. He reached in for the two bags and handed one to me.

"Thanks."

"No, thank you. Now I think you'd better go, I'm really getting uncomfortable with him looking at me that way."

"I'm gonna' kill him." He chuckled. "I'll see you around then."

"Yeah, without him," He pointed at Ben as he said that last part.

I turned around and made my way to Ben. My look said it all. "I'm in trouble aren't I?"

"Ya think."

"Oh come on, you can't blame me for wanting to make sure you're safe."

"No, but from seventh graders?"

"Okay, so I don't trust them."

"Why not?" He started walking back to Red House. I walked after him. "Well?"

"I don't know them that's it."

"That's it, but I'm trying to get to know them, and I'd really appreciate it if you did the same."

He sighed. "Look, can we change the subject?"

"To what?"

"Are you going the Homecoming dance?"

**I needed something in between this and the next chapter. Any way thanks for stopping by.**


	4. Chapter 4

Angie's POV

The day of the Homecoming Game came and I wasn't going. I never appreciated football. I don't really like sports unless, there is, like, no way, that a heavy ball will hit my face and break my glasses. But maybe it's not that I'm scared of the ball, maybe it's because I'm afraid that I'll break my glasses and with the economy these days I wouldn't blame mom for being angry when they brake.

I just got two new pairs of glasses and donated the last ones. One was blue plastic with a floral pattern on the sides. The other was a brown metal round frame.

I was walking down the hall to Red House to meet everyone for lunch when I spotted Eric at his locker. I've wondered which of the lockers belonged to the Ackies. I suppose, now, that they're mounted on the walls of the halls.

I walked over to him he was placing binders into his locker. "Hey there Eric." I said.

"Oh, hey, um…"

"Angie."

"Right, um hang on." He looked behind him and then looked out into the hall towards Red House. "Well, I suppose it's safe."

"Don't worry, he's not weird enough to stalk us, or, rather, me."

"I don't know, he does seem like he would." I laughed softly.

"Hey Eric," I saw that a girl with long brown hair approaching. Her hair was in a high pony tail and her bangs ran right across her face with no hair out of place. It was as if she was a cartoon, with perfect hair all the time.

He turned around and stepped to the side allowing me to see her, "Oh hey, Lilly." For a moment, I thought his voice went just a bit higher than usual. When she was right in front of him, I thought I saw a twinkle in her eyes. I looked at him and he had a goofy grin on his face. Awe that's cute. From the way they were staring at each other, it reminded me of Daniel and the way he would look at me like a love sick puppy. I thought it was extremely cute between them. I could see it in their eyes, nothing could bring them out of this trance. I didn't want to ruin the moment but I would like to be introduced to her. I cleared my throat and Eric shook out of his gaze.

He looked at me and sounding like an idiot he said, "Oh, umm… Lily this is Angie," he turned to me, "Angie this Lily."

"Hi," I responded.

"Hey," she took a good look at me and asked, "are you an eighth grader?"

"No I'm a freshman with an unbelievably small size." I never did mind telling people over and over again about being older than I look. You just get used to it, and if you don't you get annoyed instead. My size does surprise a lot of people. Some either tell me they're sorry while others embrace it and tell me how I look so cute. I feel like I'm a baby in a room full of adults that aren't my parents.

"Oh, sorry." She looked as if I was going to charge right at her. Seen it, the reactions are getting old, especially from those who get scared that they've insulted me.

"Eh, I get it all the time." I lifted my hand up and then back down lazily.

"Okay then, I'd better be off to my next class. See ya in math Eric. Bye, it was nice meeting you."

Before either of us could respond she was gone, right, two minutes until the bell would ring. I looked at Eric as if I was waiting for him to spill to me a big secret.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," acting all sly. Amazing what two weeks at a new school could do to you. I took a step and then turned my head to look at him with innocent eyes.

He looked at me funny. "Listen, she's just a friend and I have no intention on dating in middle school."

"All right, geez you don't need to get all defensive."

"I'm not being defensive I'm just stating the facts." He sounded a bit angry with me so I quit the teasing. He sighed. "Come on, I'll walk with you to Red House, I'm headed that way anyway."

"Okay."

He took a step and then asked me, "Hey, when I do decide to date, could you help me?"

"I don't think you'll need help with getting the girl."

"I doubt that, things can change in so little time." Boy do I know it.

"Well then, I guess I can give you a few tips and advice."

"Thanks."

"Mind telling me why you want me to help you with girl problems?"

"Well, it takes one to know one, so I thought that who'd best to know a teenage girl than a teenage girl who isn't so much older."

"All right, but if your mom says that it was my fault you lost the girl over something stupid I won't help you anymore."

"Fair enough."

"I hope you realize that not all teenage girls are alike."

"I know, but you're very understanding and a good listener."

"Sure, and I also have experience."

"You have a boy friend?"

"Yeah."

"Ben?"

"No." I looked at him with a face. "You don't know him; he doesn't go to this school."

"He couldn't make the cut?"

"Well, not to be an Ackie anyway."

"Wait, he's younger than you?" He sounded like his mother was a bad cook and she was making meatloaf.

"By one little year, it's not a big deal."

"So, let me get this straight, your parents are letting you date a thirteen year old boy?"

"Yes," I nodded a few times.

"Then your parents must be pretty lay back, then."

"Not really, I mean I had to earn their trust as well as Daniel did."

"That's his name?"

"Yup, hey would you mind not mentioning him to anyone?"

"No problem, why?"

"Because I haven't told anyone else."

"And yet you told me."

"I may not have known you for long, but I am a good judge of character. I think I know well enough that you won't say anything, especially because I asked you not to."

"Thanks, oh by the way can I have your number?"

"Sure, why?" I stopped to get a piece of paper and pen from my bag. He stopped with me. I began to write my number.

"I'll probably still need advice or suggestions through my last two years here."

"Oh, I won't be here next year."

"Why?"

"I'm moving out of the city next summer." I finished and handed him the piece of paper. He took it from my hand and folded it to place it in his pocket. We made it to Red House and parted ways.

Everyone was there except for Ben. He's usually the last one to get here because his locker is upstairs on the third floor.

"Hey guys," I said as I approached the table.

"Hey Angie," they said simultaneously.

Sonia said "Angie, are you coming to the game?"

"No, why?"

"Because I'll be the only one going," came a voice behind me, "I don't want to be alone."

"Hi Ben." He wrapped his arms around me. For some reason his arms make me feel sleepy. His arms are like warm milk. I kept my eyes partly open.

"Are you okay, you look like you're going to pass out," exclaimed Molly. I let out a yawn. When I yawn I sound like a baby yawning.

"Aww, even your yawn is cute." Ben hugged me tighter.

"Let go before I fall asleep," I told him weakly. He let me go and I was up again.

Pablo said, "Do you have some kind of power or something?"

"Nope, my arms just make for a good pillow."

"Makes sense," said Sonia. The both of us sat down.

"So, you're really not coming to the game?"

"Sorry, Ben, I could never sit through a game, a boxing or wrestling match yes, but definitely not football."

"I don't want to be alone."

"Oh, suck it up Ben." Sonia told him.

He glared at her.

"Relax Ben, you'll be fine." Molly told him.

He sighed. "Fine. So, where are we going to meet at the dance?"

Sonia responded, "The entrance of the gym."


	5. Chapter 5

Angie/Annie's POV

When I got to the entrance of the gym I didn't see anyone except a few random people going in and out. _"Hmm… that's weird, everyone should be here already. Maybe they meant inside."_

"_Probably are."_ I went inside and saw the gym transformed.

The theme this year was a glow stick night club or something like that. I didn't really take a good look at my ticket. The gym was lightly lit so that it would fit the theme. On the gyms walls were green and yellow balloons with glow in the dark paint on them in a dolphin design. Go, Dolphins! Along with the balloons were matching streamers. The DJ's platform was right across from me. Even with my glasses on, I couldn't take a good look at his face.

When I entered the gym building they gave me a free glow stick. I snapped it and it glow yellow as I entered the gym and wrapped it snuggly at my wrist. As I did that, I felt a presence behind me. Sure, any one could have been behind me but I only sense someone when I know they are there for a reason that somehow has to do with me. I got the feeling that someone was sneaking up on me and I knew just who he was. I didn't want to spoil his fun so I let him lift me up in the air and I let out a "Yipe," in a high squeaky voice. He shook me up in the air and then put me down.

I turned around to find Ben, just who I thought. "Hi Angie!" It was a good thing that we weren't so close to the music, any closer I probably wouldn't be able to hear him.

"Ben, you scared me half to death!" I continued to humor him even though he didn't know it. I acted as if I was angry and surprised. Well, part of the anger was real. I didn't like the fact that that he would try to sneak up on me considering that I get really nervous when I'm alone. Sure I had Annie, but she can be so inconsiderate sometimes, calling me a baby, because I don't like being in places without someone who's at least the same age as me or someone who knows an area well or someone who knows what they're doing.

I've improved though, since Sonic and the others entered my life I found courage and strength that I never knew I had. I guess that's why I talked to anyone these past weeks. But sometimes I wonder if I could have found it myself without them or without the whole Protector business. Not a day goes by that I don't wonder what it would be like to be normal and then I remind myself that normal is boring. I guess that's why no two people are exactly the same inside and out.

I held a pose with me hands on my hips until Ben took me into his arms and gave me a hug. "I'm sorry, but I just couldn't help myself." I let out a sigh when he let me go.

"Hey Angie," I turned around to see Molly and Pablo. I gave Pablo a hug and then Molly. I took a look at everyone.

Ben, to my surprise was in a black tuxedo. His jacket was closed, but you could see the color of the white button down shirt that he was wearing. Pablo, on the other hand, was in a sleek vest and in a neon green shirt, both of them in dress shoes. Molly was wearing a black strapless dress that hugged the upper half of her body and then frilled out. Her dress reached just up to her knees and she was in lacy heals. I was in a light blue spaghetti strap dress with a black sash going from my right hip to the bottom left end of the skirt. The sash glittered grey in the light.

"Glad to see that everyone looks great but don't you think it's a little much Ben." I turned to him.

"Don't blame me, my mom dressed me." He held out his hands in front of him in defense. I giggled at his response.

I looked around but we mere missing someone. "Where's Sonia?"

"Right here!" I looked to my right and saw Sonia with a box in her hand.

"What's in the box," Pablo asked.

"More glow sticks, there's enough for everyone to have two more." She took them out and there were five that were long enough to go around your neck and the other five were long enough to go around your wrist. I ended up with and orange one on my other wrist while I had a red one around my neck.

"Well, come on guys let's head to the dance floor!" Pablo took Sonia's hand who took Monica's hand who took Ben's hand who took my hand and Pablo pulled us to the dance floor. The song playing when we formed a circle was fast but I couldn't recognize it. Some of my other classmates joined us and while everyone else was moving I stood frozen. I was sweating even though I wasn't moving.

The light, the music, the hundreds of bodies, they all overwhelmed me. For a moment, I had trouble breathing. I grew scared. I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could but I couldn't; I was nailed to the floor.

"Hey," it was Ben, "are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I just, uh, need to go t-to the little girl's room." Towards the end I spoke fast.

"Okay," he still looked worried, I wanted to tell him I was alright, but then I would be lying to him again. I just had to get of there while I could still move. I ran out of there and when I was out my hands were on my knees and I was breathing heavily.

I went to the bathroom. I turned on the cold water and splashed my face a few times.

"_What happened? You were doing great."_

"_I don't know. This never happened to me at the middle school dances."_

"_You actually went to those dances?"_

"_I didn't have anything better to do the last hour of school."_

"_Sounds boring"_

"_Well, I never did say I had a good time. I sat down with some friends and we just talked. People did dance, I just never had the confidence to dance__." _

I dried my face with a paper towel

"_Do you think you can go back?"_

"_No, that's why you're going to take over for awhile."_

"_Have you gone mad? I can't be seen, remember?"_

"_I didn't say that you would physically be here."_

"_Oh… you sure?"_

"_Yeah, it's your freshman year too. I shouldn't hog all the fun."_

"_Ready?"_

"_Ready."_

I let go and allowed her to take control over my body.

* * *

"_Gracias."_

"_De nada."_

I went to the entrance going back the way Angie came. I walked through the small tunnel. When I made it to the gym I felt someone behind me. Then I felt someone grab Angie's arm. I turned around to see Ben. Is it me or is he just on top of Angie all the time?

"Better?"

"Yup," I nodded and added a bubbly tone.

"Good, the others were getting worried."

"_You sure it wasn't just you?"_

"_Be nice."_

"_Hey you're going to have to be the one to let him down gently."_

"_Doubt it."_

"Hey, are you sure you're okay? You look like you were arguing with yourself."

"Yeah, come on let's go!" I took his hand and led him back towards the others. We got into a circle with the others and other classmates. I stood for a moment feeling the beat and then I started to move.

Every so often our attention would be to one person in the middle of the circle. After maybe, an hour and a half, I felt tired, Angie's legs hurt and her throat was sour. I tried to catch my breath but it wasn't easy when there were still dancers around you.

Ben took Angie's hand and I took Molly's hand who took Sonia's hand who took Pablo's hand and then we all moved out of there together with Ben leading us. Once we were out, we let go of each other's hand and headed for the rest area. The rest area was a smaller gym. To the side of that gym was refreshments. Some of the faculty was running them. From the looks of it, we didn't have to be worried about the punch getting spiked, because there wasn't any punch, just canned pop or bottled water. There was only candy and chips on the other tables.

I just got a Coke while the others got pop and chips. There weren't any tables so we just sat on the floor with our backs against the wall. I took a sip of my Coke.

"_I think you'd better come back."_

"_All right then."_

I went back in and Angie got control of her body again.

* * *

Pablo said, "Man, to think, it's only halfway through."

"No kidding," Ben exclaimed. We didn't say anything for awhile after that. It was nice because our ears would take a break. To my side was a balloon so I started to hit it gently. I hit it too far to the left and Molly hit it back towards me but Ben got to it first. For awhile, we just played with the balloon, hitting it back and forth to one another. When we all felt up to it we walked back to the dance.

I felt a little awkward. I never could dance but I didn't want to be a party pooper. I took a few seconds to catch the beat. I looked around and observed everyone. The next thing I knew I was moving with them. I noticed that when I was dancing I wasn't thinking, I was feeling. A feeling of belonging was there when I danced with my friends.

The Homecoming Queen and King were announced when we were gone. I never found out who they were because I felt that it wasn't important so I didn't ask; that and the crowns and sashes bounced from one person to the next.

Close to the official time that the dance would be over, Ben took me aside.

"My dad's here." My mom asked if Mr. Prince could drive me home. She and my dad would be out late tonight and my little sister would be at my cousins sleeping over so that she wouldn't be alone for tonight. She complains when we don't leave her home alone but she always forgets when she hears she's going to stay with my cousins.

We grabbed our coats from coat check and we left.

**There you have it. I'll update again soon. Thanks for stopping by.**


	6. Chapter 6

Angie's POV

I entered the house cold and a bit tired. I closed the front door and headed towards my room. I was rubbing my eyes while I opened the door to my room. I stopped suddenly because I felt someone's presence. I smiled to myself knowing who would be able to sneak into my house.

I turned on the light to find Daniel sitting on my bed sitting at the foot of my bed. I looked at him a bit surprised he wasn't wearing the expected jeans and a graphic T. Instead, he was in black dress pants and a dark blue sleek vest. His shirt was pink and his tie was purple. I guess he would look ridiculous to most people but he was cute all the same to me and I found it sweet that he would wear my favorite colors. As happy as I was for him to be here after two months I was too tired to let it show and I was curious as to why he was dressed that way.

"Tired?" His voice was soft, just above a whisper.

"Yeah, three hours of partying does that to you." I've never gone to a party on my own for that many hours. "Also should I get used to this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You, sneaking into my room at times."

"Probably."

He got up from my bed and walked towards me. I also took a few steps towards him.

"What are you doing here?" He looked at me funny "I-I mean not that I'm not glad to see you, I'm actually thrilled but I figured you would be with your family probably out somewhere." He only smiled and wrapped his hands around my waist. As he came closer my hands slid up to his chest, resting there lazily.

He looked at me with those light brown eyes that I could just melt in. I felt warm inside and a little giddy. Energy was suddenly present in my body. I felt the color return to my face.

"I figured if I couldn't go with you to your Homecoming Dance then I'll at least have your last dance of the night."

I smiled at him briefly, happy for his thoughtfulness. After he released me he took my hand and led me out of my room. I turned out the lights in my room before going through the doorway. The wall perpendicular to the wall where the door to my room was is where the tube slide to the sanctuary is. He stopped right in front of it knowing that only my thumbprint can open it. When he would come over to help I'd have to place my thumb in a scanner at the end of the slide that stuck out right next to it. I place my thumb in the mold. The wall popped out and moved to the left allowing the top of the tube slide to move forward.

I turned to him. He smiled and motioned for me to sit. I sat down. Then he sat behind me. "Ready," he asked. I turned my head and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"As I'll ever be." We both pushed a little bit forward before we were off.

Before we reached the bottom he covered my eyes with his hands. When we reached the end, "Daniel," I whined.

"Don't worry, just get up and take a step forward." I did what he said. "Now I want you to close your eyes."

"Okay." I knew he was up to something. He wouldn't act this way if he wasn't going to surprise me with who knows what. Of course that's the exciting part, no? I wondered what it is he had done. I always did love a good surprise. If it's from him then it's got to be big.

So, I closed my eyes full of excitement and curiosity. He took his hands away and took my hands in his. He led me to who knows where. As we walked I felt the warmth of lights on my cheeks. I'm not sure of what he's up to but I'm sure that I never installed lights in the sanctuary other than the ones in the house down here.

He let go of my hands. I couldn't see and I didn't have a mirror but I knew that I had a goofy and excited grin on my face. I was a bit giddy and jumpy the whole walk to where ever it was he brought me to.

"Okay, open your eyes." I took a moment to open my eyes. I wanted to make sure that I remembered this day. When I opened my eyes I was completely amazed. My mouth was wide open.

There were lanterns with stained glass in different colors standing on poles. Paper lanterns of different colors were floating. Fire flies also added a natural effect. "Wow," I whispered

"Do you like it?"

I only nodded. It was so beautiful, better than a sunset at the beach. The colors danced in harmony, bumping into one another at times but continued on much like the way we were earlier that night. Some were actually floating close to the ground I was surrounded by these lanterns.

Daniel took my hands in his and then placed his other hand on my hip. I smiled and placed my free hand on his shoulder. Then I heard violins and a voice singing right away. I first heard that song in one of my favorite movies, 'Magical Legend of the Leprechauns.' It was '_We can fly Away' _by Emma Townshed_. _We sort of danced in a jumpy waltz kind of fashion like they did in the movie.

As we danced I noticed that the lights around us made him look like he was glowing. Now, if only he had fairy wings and maybe a crown or pointy ears and red hair. I always did like fairy tales and the idea of magic in books and movies. This magic that was right here before me was real. It wasn't a bunch of hocus pocus or an illusion. I know that it isn't. He was plainly '_Unmistakable.' _

When the song ended I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into his chest. He still had his arms wrapped around my waist. For a long moment we stood still, neither of us muttered a single word. I felt safe in his arms. I could never imagine being with anyone else.

"Angie?" His voice was smooth and warming. It was times like these that I cherished the most.

"Hmm…" When I'm with him I feel like I'm in a never ending dream. This sort of loopy and light kind of feeling that I have with him is always welcomed. This was only time that I had no worries. I wouldn't think about school or chores or freaking out because I forgot to feed Terry, no. The only thing on my mind was Daniel and me.

"You keep me _'Drowning.' _

My heart warmed up and I got a giddy feeling. I had my eyes closed but I knew that I had the goofiest grin plastered on my face. The song started and we began to sway very slowly.

"_Happy?" _

"_Very. Oh, best that you and Caleb aren't left out."_

"_Thanks for remembering." _

I almost forgot that Annie could pop in at any time. It's been a bit weird lately. Usually she could hear everything that I could but she can hardly hear anything now and she doesn't have the control to see when she wants to. My thoughts aren't as interrupted as they used to be and it's getting hard for us to speak with each other. I hope that we'll still be able to communicate with each other by the time we separate.

When the song ended I pulled away from Daniel a bit our arms still around each other. I looked up at him as he looked down on me. The both of us smiled. That crooked smile still made me feel really weak in the knees. I needed him to support my weight when I felt that my knees were giving out.

"Figured you'd be used to this by now?"

I looked away from him, a bit embarrassed. He took my chin and had me face him again. I knew what was coming and I was glad that I wasn't nervous enough to back away from him. He's been patient with me and I'm grateful that he would wait for me. He leaned down towards me and I stretched out my neck a little. He kissed me softly and sweetly. Then, we had our foreheads pressed together along with our noses.

"Umm… Annie…" He released me and pulled away from me. He smiled and held his hand up signaling me to stop.

"Say no more." I stood there watching him transform. There wasn't a blast of light this time, only a soft glow. A hedgehog stood in Daniel's place in the clothes that shrunk with him.

I smiled at the hedgehog before me knowing that the same joy and feeling Daniel brings to me are the same feelings that he brings to Annie. "Hey Caleb, haven't seen you since that day in the woods."

"It's a shame that we don't hang out at all. I'd like to get to know you myself. After all, we can't exactly be friends if we don't hang out."

"Maybe you can help me in the sanctuary this summer for some time."

"Sounds like a plan," he paused, "Daniel said that if we're going to take some time to be friends then him and Annie should too."

"Like we're going to leave them out." We laughed lightly. "Well, better let you guys have your time. See ya."


	7. Chapter 7

Caleb's POV

Angie was no longer in front of me, instead, was the hedgehog that she shared her body with. It's been well over seven weeks maybe over eight weeks and I've missed her dearly.

"Caleb," she whispered.

"Annie," I whispered back. We each took a step forward and hugged each other tightly. She buried her face into my shoulder while I had my head on top of hers. She then kissed my face all over the way a mother does when her child comes home after a long trip.

"What took you so long?"

"Adjusting to a new grade level takes time and we couldn't find the right time to sneak out of the house." She only smiled at me and then placed her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her waist and together we swayed to _"What makes you Different" _by The Backstreet Boys (no surprise there). The best to turn to for love songs are boy bands, no?

I had my head on top of hers again. Oh man how I've missed this. The warmth of her body against mine, the softness of her face, the steady beat of her heart, it all almost stuns me. I know that I'm lucky to have her, to have found her. Far too many go a lifetime without finding _"The One." _

Sure we're young teens but I just can't help but think that we'll be together forever. The thought of being with her forever sends a sense of joy, and excitement. Being with her brings me this sense of happiness that only she can give me. I yearn for the feeling every minute that I'm without her.

When the song ended we held onto each other for a brief moment before *RING*. It was the communicator around her wrist. She brought her wrist towards her face and pressed a button on the communicator.

"Mum?"

"Hi, sweetie, how's it been?"

"Fine, fine but, um… now's not a good time."

"Why?"

"Um…"

As a result of her struggle I stepped in. "Hi, Ms. Rose." I can't exactly call her Mrs. Hedgehog just yet. We settled on me just calling her Ms. Rose and Sonic doesn't mind me calling him Mr. H or Mr. Hedgehog.

"Caleb, is that you?" I stepped forward to be behind Annie and stuck out my head to be right next to hers.

"Yeah it's me."

"Oh, I see." She looked a bit disappointed. "Well, call me tomorrow, okay?" She perked up a bit.

"Sure mum."

"Bye."

"Bye." She turned to me. "I'm really sorry about that."

"No need for an apology, after all she is your mother and when a mother's child is off somewhere where she can't be she worries. She cares about you and wants to know what's up. Besides, my mom calls every day."

"Wow, my mom calls every other week."

"Does she usually call this late?"

"No, she usually calls around seven."

There was a silence after that, a fairly uncomfortable silence. It was almost midnight. "I should probably get going then," as I said that I scuffed my shoe against the ground. It was getting darker by the minute. Sandra must be cleaning up, taking the lanterns down and blowing them out.

"Oh, no, no, no." She grabbed my hands. "Stay, please…" She gave me these big innocent eyes. I couldn't say no, not that I would. Each chance I could get to be with her I'll take without thinking twice.

I smiled and nodded my head. "Of course."

"Really?" She got up on her tip toes.

"I'd go _"Anywhere for you."_

The next thing I knew, she spun me around and then we were off to the S house. It was only a few seconds before were right under her window, well the window in _their_ room. There was a tree not five feet away with a branch just big enough to hold one person.

I bowed to her signaling for her to go first. I heard her giggle while I was still bended down. I smiled when I heard her distinctive giggle. Before I looked up I heard leafs rustle above me. Annie had her hand on the trunk of the tree. She hopped off the branch and through the window. Jumping for a lower branch I grabbed it and swung over until I was upside down. Then I brought my feet over to the side and let myself cartwheel back to be on my feet. I did the same with the next branch that would let me reach the window. I had my hand on the trunk the same way that Annie had hers before I hopped off and went through the window landing right next to her.

"Sandra?"

"I'm on it," the robotic female voice said. The lights turned on. Their room was just as I remembered it. She took my hand lead me to the DVD case.

Our sleepovers always consisted of a movie marathon. She or I would choose a movie to watch first. Then, the next movies would have genres along the lines of the genre of the first movie chosen.

It was my turn to choose. Considering that it was near Halloween I was in the mood for a horror film or something with ghostly activity. She tugged at my arm like a little kid waiting for their mother to be done looking at clothes so that they could go the toy section. Unfortunately, Angie doesn't appreciate scary movies so she didn't have any horror films to choose from but she did have Halloween type movies like Hocus Pocus or Casper Meets Wendy.

That's when I remembered the Friday the 13th marathon on AMC. They were going to show like two movies in the series every night for a week. If the marathon was over then we could flip through the channels to see if there's something else on.

I turned to her. "Mind if we see if there's something on T.V. first?"

"Sure."

That night we ended up catching the last movie in the middle of it. Well, the last movie before Freddie V.S. Jason. The last thing I remembered that night was a hand with metal claws reaching out from the ground and taking Jason's mask under the ground with it. I fell asleep with my arm wrapped around Annie. She had her head on my chest.

The next morning, I woke up by the alarm that I set on my communicator. I had to get back to the house before anyone found out that Daniel wasn't in bed. Usually it wouldn't matter but for some reason Daniel's parents changed. They act as if they finally CARE. They check up on him when he's doing his homework. They call to make sure that he's left swim practice okay. They actually ask him about his day and Angie. They even asked him to invite Angie to dinner one of these days. They've met her before but they haven't seen her since that day her family moved.

He as well as I, is still getting used to this behavior. It's strange, they never acted this way before. It was always 'as long as he's alive we don't have to worry about him.' Lucky him Angie came around and helped him clean up his act. Even if they didn't show any change in behavior once he did clean up his act he never went back to the way he was. He had friends, his teachers liked him, and he was happy. He knew that if he was going somewhere in this world, he was now on the right path.


	8. Chapter 8

Amy's POV

I sighed as I hung up. I really wanted to talk to Annie about the latest in school and the homecoming dance. What mother wouldn't want to know about her baby's first dance? Oh, well, she'll talk to me tomorrow.

I was outside on the porch in a love seat. Leaves rustled in the wind and had already changed their colors. My flowers that lined the path to the stairs didn't look as colorful as they would in the morning. Crickets played their music in the distance. I breathed in the fresh air. I love it out here especially in the evening. It's so peaceful here, well, when Eggman's not attacking.

In his recent attacks well, the attacks before we ended up on Earth have been really close to my home. I'd wake up in the middle of night because he wanted to kidnap me or lure Sonic in because he was so close to me. There were also times when I was baking he'd show up but then what ever he had plan was destroyed with one blow and then free fireworks went off. I never worry about him hurting me because Sonic would always stop him before he would get the chance.

Then I felt a gloved hand on my shoulder after a sudden rush of wind came my way. The touch sent shivers up and down my spine. I smiled at the feeling, knowing who it was. Turning my head around, I saw the owner of the hand: Sonic.

In the time since we returned home we've gone out a few times. He still lives with Tails but I do find him on my couch when he's out for a late run or we both fall asleep on my couch after a late night. We'd agreed that when Annie and Angie come to live with us he'd move in just before they do. A year should be enough time.

I've come around to not fear love as I had before. It's all thanks to Sonic that I have the courage and confidence to love again. I'm really grateful that he took the time to work with me and for the first time in his life had _patience. _Love really does change a person. It's amazing what love would do to a person even if they are a big hero with an ego.

He asked, "What are you doing up so late?" He took a seat next to me and placed an arm around me.

"I could ask you the same thing." Although I already knew the answer I just wanted to hear him say it.

He smiled. "I think we both know the answer to that. It's one thing for me to be up but it's something else when you're up this late even on a Saturday."

"I was calling Annie."

"Right the dance was tonight. How did it go?"

"I won't know until tomorrow." He looked at me.

"Why?"

"I just called at a bad time." He cocked an eyebrow.

"Which would be?"

"Annie had a… visitor."

A moment later he said, "I'm going to take a good guess that Caleb was on the scene.

"And you're comfortable with this?" Now it's my turn to cock an eyebrow and his turn to answer.

"I wouldn't say comfortable, just… better handling the situation." I held my position. "Hey I would have to get used to them being together sooner or later."

"True but…"

"But?"

"Oh, I don't know Sonic. You just seem too calm to be a father who didn't want that boy to go anywhere near Annie just a few months ago."

"I guess you're right." He sighed. "The thing is I just don't think that they'll break up anytime soon."

"Because…?" He moved his seat. I wonder if he'll always be this uncomfortable when the subject of Annie and Caleb comes up.

"Well… I've seen the way he looks at Annie. It's the look of a lovesick boy who would do anything for her. It's the same look I give you, well when you're not looking." I giggled and he smiled. He brushed my bangs out of my face. His hand caressed my cheek as I smiled broadly back at him. His eye lids lowered so I lowered mine.

He bended down while I stretched out my neck a little bit as my hand made its way to his chest. Our eyes closed when, our lips met. Our lips danced for many long moments. The whole time, I had been in a sort of state of dreaming. My mind stopped and there was only him and me. When we parted we were breathing heavily. We looked at each other the whole time we were catching our breath.

Then… Sonic's communicator went off. I saw him frown and scrunch up his face. "Who could be calling this late at night?" No other words had to be said before we pulled away from each other as he lifted his wrist to his face. "Tails?"

"Tails, really?" He nodded.

He pressed the screen and moved his arm so that we could both see. We sat closer as the image of a young fox came into view.

"Sonic… um, is this a bad time?" Before Sonic could answer Tails quickly added. "Oh what am I talking about Eggman's escaped and gone to Earth."

I exclaimed, "What?"

"Glad to see some one's concerned." I looked at him funny but when I looked at Sonic he made sense. Sonic had a calm face almost as if this was ridiculous to worry about.

"Is that all?" _Is there something wrong with your brain? Our child is down there._ I wanted to say but kept to myself. At that moment I just wanted to take his head and smash it with my bare hands.

"Sonic, Angie went through some major pain just to keep Annie's existence." I told him.

"I know, I remember and I also recall that she came out fine."

"Yeah, because we all helped out. It's just her down there."

"What about Caleb and Annie?"

"Caleb, I understand but he wants to get rid of Annie and more than likely Angie's going to be on the outside so then Annie won't be much help."

"Calm down Amy. Angie was trained by the best but to keep you content, Tails?"

"Yeah?"

"I want you to call Angie and Daniel or I guess, depending on who's wearing the communicator Annie and Caleb and tell them to keep their eyes open especially the girls."

"On it, I'll see you guys later."

"See ya little buddy."

"Bye Tails."

Sonic tapped the screen and Tails' furry face disappeared. I must have still had a worried look on my face because Sonic said, "Don't worry Amy," he brought me into a hug, "they'll be fine."

"I can't help it!"

"Must be a mother's instinct."

"Maybe, but I still can't believe that you didn't even look the slightest bit worried about our little girl or Angie. She did a lot for us and it was like you didn't even care." Tears started to swell up in my eyes. I was prepared to burst right on the spot.

"Don't you think I know that," he said in a stern voice. I was startled by this new tone in his voice. "I know what's at stake here." His voiced calmed down. "But I also know that Angie is an extraordinary kid, and that she, Annie and Caleb are gifted fighters." He slowly pushed me away but kept his arms on mine. "Trust me Amy, I'm not stupid but I'm not going to be worried." By that time the tears released themselves.

Using both his thumbs he wiped the tears off my face. I calmed down a bit thinking that maybe Sonic's right, I need to believe that they know what they're doing. The next thing I knew, Sonic allowed his lips to wander on my face. When he stopped he left his forehead on mine.

"Would you like me to stay or go?"

Without a second thought I replied, "Stay."


	9. Chapter 9

Ben's POV

As I watched her open the door to her home I sighed. When I caught that I was staring at her I quickly turned away from the window. In the rear view mirror I saw that I pulled back my lips revealing my braces and my eyes were popping out of their sockets.

"You feeling okay son?" I turned my head to the left to see dad with a cocked eyebrow.

"Uh…" I still had that face so I relaxed into my seat before I answered. "Fine, I'm fine." I added silently "I think."

"You sure?" He pulled out of the drive way and started on our way home.

"Pretty sure," _that something is wrong with me._

"Alright, but when you want to admit that you like Angie you know where to find me."

I looked at my dad funny, my eye twitching. "What are you crazy? What gave you that idea?"

"I'm a father, I know these things."

"Sure you do Dad."

"Please don't tell me that you doubt your father's senses."

"What senses?" The man can't even know when Alice is scared out of her mind after she watched a horror film that she wasn't supposed to. Mom usually busts her the next morning and Dad has no way of knowing how Mom does it.

"I think I would know when my son is crushing on a girl, especially when that girl happens to be a previous student of mine."

"I still think you've lost her mind. How could you know if I was crushing on a girl if I never had before?"

"Easy, it's in your behavior."

"My behavior?" He laughed lightly.

"Think about it. At the dinner table you don't shut up about her. Sometimes you look like you go into a daydream when you do talk about her."He paused and smiled when he took a single glance at me before returning his attention to the road.

Okay, so yeah I go into a daydream of her and me having a picnic in a park laughing and feeding each other fruit. Then at sunset we'd ki-Gah! This cannot be happening to me.

I must've had a funny look on my face because he started to laugh a bit. I folded my arms across my chest and angrily said, "Anything else?"

"You're not focused in school, your grades are lower than usual in the beginning of the school year, probably due to your daydreaming."

"By like six or seven points."

My dad likes to keep track of my grades through the graded papers I bring home. Being a teacher it comes naturally for him.

I started to think about my time in class. I guess I do hallucinate in class, you know, sometimes. I remember that I see her sometimes walking by my desk but I only have gym and lunch with her. Then there are times when I hear her voice calling my name in the hallway but when I turn to look she's no there. Oh, maybe I'm the one that's crazy or maybe I do like Angie.

I shivered at the thought of it. It's not like Angie's not a nice person or pretty, believe me. Sometimes I wonder why no guy has ever asked her out. Well, there is the fact that we're only fourteen, but still. She's like no other girl I've met. She's small but has a big heart. She's interesting and funny (even when she's not trying). Not to mention that she's really adorable. What guy wouldn't want to have someone like her in his arms?

Sure, sometimes she seems too smart for her own good and she doesn't get jokes sometimes. Then she seems too innocent for a freshmen in high school, it's like she never left her house for anything. Sometimes I wonder if she would know if someone was a pervert.

The thing is, I never had a crush before. A girl never made me feel warm and fuzzy inside or weak. I don't know how to deal with one and I never wanted one. Love does stuff to a guy that makes him seem like a new person, an unrecognizable person. He doesn't go off with his buddies like he used to, instead chooses to stay with his girl, maybe a girl who doesn't like him at all. It scares me that a single being could bring a guy to his knees.

I don't want to turn into a lovesick puppy no matter how great she would be for me. I'm mister calm and cool, not mister lover boy. But maybe if the pull is strong enough I'll change, along with the rest of them.

"See what I mean?" Dad brought my head out of the clouds.

"Well…"

"Say no more son, now that that step is done time for step two."

"What's step two?"

"You actually asking her out."

"Dad!"

"What?"

"I'm still not sure if I do like her."

"Alright, alright, but when you're sure and decide to go for it be sure to tell your mother and me how it went."

"Sure Dad." _If it will ever happen._


	10. Chapter 10

Annie's POV

I began to smile as I felt myself drifting slowly back into reality. I pushed myself into a sitting position. As I rubbed an eye I yawned and smiled, glad to see a new day has come. But my smiled faded away as quickly as it came when I noticed that Caleb wasn't next to me. Panic took me over.

"_Where is he?"_ He's never left me like this before.

"_Calm down, maybe something came up and he just didn't want to wake you up."_

I took a deep breath and lied back down. _"Maybe, but a note would be nice."_

"_True."_ I like it when Angie agreed with me. It reminds me that although we're like complete opposites we do agree with each other at times, especially when it came to dealing with the boys. We'll be with each other for a long time and it's nice to have friend that goes where ever you go. You'll never be alone. Kind of makes me feel sad knowing that we'll separate soon. Although it would be nice to have our own bodies, I don't want to lose her. Who knows what kind of side effects we'll go through? Oh well, no use worrying about it now. It'll be awhile longer before we can separate.

Right then I heard a noise above the end of the bed. Sitting up I realized that it was one of Sandra's screens lowering down. "Good morning."

"Morning Sandra, what's up?"

"Well, I know that you're well aware that Caleb's left."

"Yes…" Where was she going with this? Sometimes I wonder if Angie programmed her to be an advice giver that talks in riddles.

"I stopped him before he could leave the perimeter of my screen. I knew that you would want an explanation so I asked him before he could leave."

"Really," I asked quickly.

"Yes."

There was a warming in my heart and I smiled. "Thanks Sandra."

"No problem. So, anyway, he said that he's sorry but if he didn't get back to their room Daniel's parents will kill him."

"Since when do they care?" Angie was able to get those words out of my mouth. I hate it when she's able to control me without a notice.

"That's what I said but he said that he's too weirded out to tell." No surprise there. Something's not right with that. Then there was a beeping sound. An icon on the bottom right side corner of her screen was hopping up and down. "Incoming chat request."

"Must be Mum." Sometimes she doesn't give me a chance to call her. It's scary how she does that.

"Good guess but no. It's Tails on the line."

"Uncle Tails? Hmm…" He's never called before. "I wonder what he wants."

"There's only one way to find out."

I giggled. "You're right. Let him through."

"On it." I always liked Sandra, especially after Angie gave her that Mobian upgrade. That is… she turned Sandra's human image into a Mobian wolf image. Angie gave her a silvery blue coat and black-blue hair with bangs that grow to the side like Angie's.

My Uncle Tails replaced Sandra on the screen. He looked worried with a hint of relief.

"Hey Annie," he said, anxious.

"Hi Unc. what's up?"

"Eggman."

"Eggman? Isn't he in the Big House?

"_Was _in the Big House. He escaped not too long ago. Your dad said to warn you two."

"I'm going to take a good guess that I need warning because he's made his way here and wants to destroy me, right?" What's there to warn me about? This is me we're talking about, the daughter of Sonic the Hedgehog and Amy Rose. Oh, and Angie has the strength of her ancestors flowing through her veins and the morpher.

"You're your father's daughter alright."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take it easy, there's no reason to get offended. It's just that you reacted just like your dad."

"I'm not a chip of the old block for nothing." I'm like a girl version of my dad with some sprinkles of my mom.

"Yeah, yeah I know." He sighed.

I felt a bit guilty when I saw the expression on his face. "I'm sorry Uncle Tails but to me Eggman's not much of a problem."

"Of course you'd think that."

I stopped paying attention to him because Angie was having a fit.

"_Are you out of your mind? He kidnapped us and tried to get rid of you remember?"_

"_Yeah I remember and I also remember that we beat him."_

"_What do you mean _we_? Last I checked, I'm the one who went through some major pain out of loyalty for a friend."_

"_And I am forever grateful to you Angie."_

"_I know, you've said that already."_

"_And I mean it, but you need to stop underestimating us."_

"_I'm not underestimating us we got out of there with everyone's help. If it wasn't for them, we probably wouldn't have come out of there in one piece."_

"_Oh come on Angie, you beat that machine. You did it once so you can do it again."_

"_That machine drained me remember?"_

"_Sure but I still had some strength. Between you and me, we could've gotten out of there no problem. You got the brains and I've got the strength."_

"_But could you have taken down all those robots in our condition."_

"_Sure, if you'd let me gain energy from the Morphor Gem."_

"_You know as well I do, I can only use the energy in the Morphor Gem."_

"_But I'm a part of you. Therefore, the Gem has to be let me use the power it has."_

"_But you don't know how to control it."_

"_But you do. You control while I use it."_

She sighed. I smiled knowing that I've won. I can give quite the argument when I want something.

"Annie. Annie?" I shook my head at the sound of my uncle's voice.

"Oh sorry Unc. Angie and I had a bit of a disagreement."

"I'm not surprised. Well, that aside. Please be careful. Who knows what Eggman could me planning this time?"

"Have some faith Uncle Tails, we'll be fine. This is the daughter of the greatest heroes that ever lived we're talking about and the girl with protecting this planet in her blood." Geez, do they not trust me.

"All right, but remember that we trust you two."

"You mean you trust that Angie's common sense will come through before I do something reckless and stupid."

"Can you blame them?"

_Unfortunately, no._ I mentally slapped myself for not yet responding to Uncle Tails. "I'll keep that in mind," I said with a smirk on my face.

He sighed with his head shaking slowly. "All right then bye."

"Bye."

When Sandra came back on screen she said, "Oh, I'd better tighten up the security. Don't know how he got past me before."

"You do that."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi all. It's been awhile. Well, thanks to the two Snow Days I've been able to upload this chapter. Any who I hope you enjoy this one. Late.**

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Angie's POV

I was somewhere unknown. Fire surrounded me and everything looked red and black. Ordinary trees look as if they had evil faces. A robot that's maybe a kilometer tall would tower over me. Blood was dripping from my forehead and a big blood stain was on my Protector's pants. Breathing heavily, I lunged at it with my staff only to be knocked clean out of the air.

I tried again. This time I actually got a hit but my hit didn't do anything to it. Again and again I tried to make at least a mark on its armor but I couldn't. The robot retracted its claws and grabbed me in its fist. The robot flung me into a tree. My head to my feet were in pain but most of the pain was in my back. I wasn't sure but I think I heard a crack on impact.

The robot picked me up again. The pain going up and down my body was just unbearable. I tried not to cry but the tears streamed down my face without the word from me. I mentally slapped myself for letting them burst out. When it stopped pulling me up, I was right in front of its abdomen. It squeezed me with great strength. "AAHHHH!" I didn't know what a broken back, leg, or arm felt like, but somehow I knew that a normal broken bone wasn't near as painful as what I felt right then. I'm surprised that my head hadn't cracked yet.

After it was done with its squeezing torture, it opened up its abdomen. The sight horrified me. Annie was lying on what must've been cold metal. Her eyes were closed and she was on her side. There was something in her other side. It looked like a metal stick. Her blood dripped from her wound. Then, a flash of lightning lightened up the scene. I gasped she was lying in her own pool of blood.

"NNOOO!" I was upset and then angry. I struggled trying to free my hands. It only hurt. The robot brought me up higher. When it stopped, it opened up his head. The man I knew who had to be behind this was sitting in a chair with a smile on his face, Eggman. He laughed his strange laugh but it sounded different. With each agonizing second his voice grew darker. I felt helpless.

The next thing I knew, a blue glow was right in my face. There was a sound as if a laser was getting ready to fire. The glow grew brighter. That's when I knew that this was it, the end.

"NNOO." I screamed getting up to a sitting position. I looked around. I was in my room. Light came in through the window. Well, it was faded light, but light all the same. I was breathing heavily. I sighed in relief knowing that it was only a dream. Okay, it was a reoccurring nightmare.

"_Was it the one where you see me dead?"_

"_Uh-hu."_ I nodded.

"_Why do you keep having these nightmares?" _

"_I'm afraid that he'll take you forever. I don't want to fail Sonic and Amy. You've seen how I've been acting lately."_

"_Yeah, too careful and like a scaredy-cat."_

"_Oh, shut it Annie."_

It was Friday last day of the school week. I got up and when through a get ready for school routine and then leave.

When I got to the school I was cold and snow got into my shoes. The snow was starting to pile up and temperatures dropped. Ice had already formed outside. December as usual in Chicago.

Another school day another day I have to deal with the fact that Eggman's out to get me. Ever since Tails told us that he came to Earth I haven't been myself. I'm FREAKING OUT here! Plainly FREAKING OUT! I can't walk down the street to get milk at the corner store without worrying that he'll attack me by surprise. I've been relying on all my senses to watch out for any sign of him. The problem with that is that I'm unfocused when it comes to the actual task at hand.

My grades have slipped down to low B's well, in the classes where Annie doesn't usually take over. If it wasn't for Annie taking over for the whole day there'd be a C on our next report card. I haven't had a C since the fifth grade. Oh that was a nightmare. I'm so scared that he'll attack the school, set it on fire, and/or kill the people in it. Everyone here is in danger because of me.

"_Calm down, will ya?"_ I was going to the lockers so that I can switch books and put away my lunch and coat.

"_I can't, I try but I can't. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"_

"_You're supposed to be the great Protector of Earth. Eggman's a pushover. You have to stop being a baby."_

"_I am not being a baby! I'm just… concerned."_

"_No, you're being paranoid."_

"_I am-"_ I didn't get to finish that sentence. I slipped in a puddle of water. I let out a small yelp. Closing my eyes I prepared for impact. Then, for less than a second I felt arms grab me. When I opened my eyes I saw that I was back on my feet_. "That was weird."_

"_Yeah, what do think it was?"_

"_I' don't know, but…"_

"_But..."_

"_Its presence feels positive."_

"_Meaning?"_

"_Meaning, whatever it is isn't going to hurt us. The energy a person or something emits tells a lot about them."_

"_If you say so but should we ignore it?"_

"_I think that would be rude."_

"_How do you know it has feelings?"_

"_I don't, that's just me. I think we should welcome it. Something tells me that this being is going to be a real help to us somehow."_

"_Is this another Protector thing?"_

"_Either that or there really is such a thing as a guardian angel." _I've heard the stories but I never thought they really existed.

"_Either way it's something magical."_

"_Yup, when it comes to my roots it's always magic."_

For the rest of the day I was calm and focused. I didn't think about Eggman, only school. I was content, free of stress, as if that one encounter changed my state of mind. The thing is, why? I'm glad that I was capable of going through a school day again but… why?

"_Don't question it. Be glad be completely glad."_

"_It's just weird, this has never happened to me before."_

"_True but it was lucky for me this happened. I don't think that I would've lasted another day in Biology."_

"_Oh come on, the class isn't so bad."_

"_To you maybe, but to me its rocket science to a baby."_

"_Now who's the drama queen" _I had a grin on my face.

"_Oh, shut up!"_I chuckled at her response.

Right then, I heard Mom say, "Oh no!" After a second I figured out why, the car was sliding on a patch of ice. We were headed straight for the side of a concrete bridge. I closed my eyes gripping onto my seat. I awaited impact as I held my breath. I didn't dare to open my eyes. Then, we just came to a stop. I didn't hear a crash or felt a jolt forward. I opened my eyes and exhaled. I looked around and saw that we were only slightly off the road. The bridge was a good four meters way. Mom was breathing heavily.

"Angie honey, are you okay?"

"Yeah…" I managed to gasp.

I felt the being again. I quickly turned to the window. I heard Mom trying to get back on the road. The snow was making it hard to move. The being had to out there, it's close, I can feel it. While I took in the scene, I wondered if the being had a physical form. Through the snow I could see someone out there. I defined the silhouette as a young boy, twelve or thirteen. I squinted to get a better look. The boy became slightly clearer.

I gasped. Was that, oh no. He can't be him. My mind must've played a trick on me. They're known to do that. Either that or my eyes somehow see a pattern in the glass of either my glasses or the window or both. Our eyes tend to look for patterns. That's why we see things that aren't really there like faces on a tortilla chip.

Just to prove it to myself I took my cleaning cloth out of my pocket just as Mom finally got the car to move backwards. I quickly cleaned my glasses before putting the cloth back and looking out the window. I looked for him again and I gasped. That's when my mom went forward a little. It WAS Daniel. I saw him smile and wave. Then he disappeared little by little as if he became snow himself and the wind took him away.

Mom drove forward and didn't move back this time.

For the rest of the drive I remembered my almost fall and our almost crash. Both appearances I felt the same energy and now that I think about it the energy that Daniel gives is the same. Was it Daniel who stopped my fall earlier? But how? He would've been in school too. What the heck is going on? I decided to call him when I got home.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi, I'm very much behind in my original scheduling for my updates. I was planning a chapter for Valentine's Day to be updated on that date but I don't think I'll get to that for a while. Just wanted to let you guys know when I do post that chapter up so that you're not confused. Read and review please and thank you!**

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Caleb's POV

"_Daniel. Daniel… Daniel!"_ Why isn't he responding?

We were right outside the classroom. Or at least I was. I heard footsteps coming from the inside of the room. I quickly got up and stepped through the door in his body. I bumped into a girl.

"Oh sorry Nicole."

She just looked at me with her usual 'mad at the world' look. I can't remember the last time she smiled. I stepped to the side and she left the room.

I walked to what would normally be Daniel's desk and noticed the bell ringer on the board as usual. I took out the bell ringer journal from Daniel's bag, and started to write. The bell ringer that day was: _What's the weirdest thing to have happened to you in the last 24 hours?_ I knew exactly what to put down. What's good is that she never reads them, just checks to see if we put down a few sentences. A few seconds in I heard a moan.

"_Daniel?'_

"_Caleb? What are you doing taking over?"_

"_I don't know you tell me."_

"_Huh?"_

"_You like, disappeared."_

"_What do you mean disappeared?"_

"_I mean one second you were here the next you were gone. Come on Daniel, what did you do?"_

"_Nothing! We were talking and I was walking like always and then…"_

There was a moment of mysterious silence. He was hiding something I just knew it. _"Then…"_

"_I don't know. I can't remember anything past that."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yeah, you know maybe something weird is happening to me."_

"_But what? Why?"_

"_No clue."_

After that, nothing happened. The rest of the day was normal. Normal classes, normal lunch, normal friends… It was starting to seem that whatever happened to Daniel was the exciting thing to happen that day. That is, until almost six that night.

He had just finished his usual after school snack and we were in the bedroom we shared with his younger brother. On the left was his younger brother Larson's side. His side of the room had a shelf next to his bed. The shelf was piled with CD's. All of them were punk and heavy metal. Also on his side was the dresser that they shared. Three drawers were on each end. The mirror was big enough for the two of them to look at without bumping elbows. The floor was flooded with clothes on his end.

On Daniel's end he also had a shelf. His shelf was piled with adventure, war, and mystery books mostly. A few romances here and there but he doesn't have to read them when he can experience romance himself. He also allowed his mom to put her old boy band tapes and new CD's on the shelf. He doesn't mind as long as he can listen to them on his own along with a few of his country and rock CD's. Also on his side was the laptop they shared on top of his desk. A lamp kept the section lit.

So any who, I was doing the Pre-Algebra homework assigned that day at the desk. _"…Which means that x=2." _I noticed that Daniel didn't moan of boredom like he usually does when I think what to put down for the problem. _Daniel?_ I wondered why he didn't answer me. That's when it came to me. _Not again!_ I growled at the fact that I have no idea what's going on. I hate it when I know something's up and I don't know what it is. It makes me a little crazy in the head. What makes it worse is that he's my best friend and this is… it's… just too strange. And that's saying something considering that we're totally different living things sharing a body.

A thought came to me. _Maybe this has to do something with Angie's Protector Business. _She did say that strange things would happen to her as she grows older. Maybe something can happen to Daniel too.

I was about to head out the window between Daniel and Larson's beds when I remembered that Daniel's mom will be home any minute. I left a note saying that we've gone out. Good thing it was Friday, otherwise we would've been in big trouble. We never had to go into specifics they know where we would sneak off to. I didn't feel comfortable going to Angie's in Daniel's body so I quickly changed into myself before I hopped out the window into some snow. I carefully blasted from the side of the house to outside Angie's window. It was really slippery out there. I almost fell five times. After shaking snow from my shoes I climbed on the metal fence on the side of the house. I noticed that the light was on.

_That's weird she's never home before six._ That's when I thought of an exception. _…Unless there was a half day_. It was perfect. This meant that I didn't have to wait for her to get home. I hopped off the fence and looked around for pebbles to toss at her window. I found a few buried under some snow. One by one I tossed them at her window and whispering her name. Suddenly there was a face at her window but it wasn't her face. It was her little sister's face. Crystal was at her sister's window.

She opened the window and said, "Hi Caleb, why isn't Daniel the one out?" She understood everything after we did a puppet show about the whole thing. She also knows that she can't tell anyone.

I couldn't tell her the truth. When you tell her something she wants ALL the details. Well, you just have to give her enough information to let her get it. If you leave her hanging she'll never leave you alone until you tell her everything. So I told her, "It's faster for us to get here if I run here and hop in." I felt a little guilty of telling her a lie but she won't leave me alone to talk to Angie if I didn't.

"Right, you're really fast."

"Yeah… can you step back so I can come in." She nodded and stepped back. I climbed the fence again and hopped on the windowsill with my knees bended. I brought a leg to the floor. I bended my head down under the upper end of the window and brought my other leg in. I closed the window knowing that that it would be freezing soon inside if I left it opened. I spun around to find Crystal looking at me with a cocked eyebrow.

I looked at her then down and then back at her again. "Yes?"

"Why do you come through the window? Why not come through the door like everyone else."

"It's more fun that way."

"How?"

"Because anyone can go through the door, but very few people would go through the window. It's a unique thing_." "That and we don't want your parents to know that we're here. They'd probably plant themselves near the door to make sure that we don't break boundaries."_

"_That's for sure."_

"_Daniel?"_

"_Yeah, who else would it be?"_

"_How long have you been listening?"_

"_Since she asked that question."_

"_Why didn't you say anything?"_

"_I was more curious about how we got here and why."_

"I guess that makes sense, but I think I'll stick to the door. It's less of a hassle." I turned my attention back to Crystal.

"Yeah, um, so… where's your sister?"

"She's not home yet." She walked over to Angie's laptop and shut it off. Then she walked back towards me. "You can wait here, I guess. Bye."

"Bye." She turned away from me and opened the door to let herself out. I sighed and sat down on Angie's bed. Her room looks different from her room in the sanctuary. The foot of her bed is to the left of the door from where I was sitting. In front of me is her dresser and next to that on her desk with her computer. Against the wall where the window is, is her book case. The contents look just like Daniel's, books and CD's.

"_So, when can I come out?'_

"_I think after I talk with Angie.'_

"_Why?"_

"_I haven't been out in months and I think I might be on to something with your disappearing act."_

"_Might enlighten me on the subject?"_

"_Weird things are supposed to happen to Angie so I thought that your disappearing act is part of the package."_

"_Maybe…"_

I heard steps and got up. There were two different paces. One was fast and the other was slow. The one that was fast were lighter than the one that was slow. The fast pace walker came closer and closer to the door. The door swung open and Angie was on the other side. The closed the door quickly and rested her back and palms on the door. She was breathing heavily. When she caught the sight of me she took a step forward.

"Hi Angie." She looked scared and confused. "I know Daniel is usually the one to…" She suddenly hugged me.

"I'm so glad you're here."

I stood there stunned.

"_Dude if you're not going to at least pat her back let me out."_

I snapped out of my trance and awkwardly hugged her. I patted her back softly.

"There, there." Man, this felt weird. I never imagined that I'd have to comfort anyone besides Annie. Now here I am, comforting my best friend's girlfriend.

I heard her gasp and then stepped away. "How's Daniel?"

"That's why I'm here."

She looked down and mumbled, "I was afraid of that." I have superb hearing thanks to Father. That's when the red flag went up. She knew something and although I shouldn't exactly interrogate her it comes as an instinct. I probably inherited more things than I thought from Father.

"What do you know?" It was more of a command than a question. My voice came out more stern than I intended. Curse my gene pool.

She looked at me with tears about to burst. My heart filled with guilt.

"I…"

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have sounded so demanding."

"Oh no," she shook her head rapidly. "It's just that I'm scared for Daniel. He's appeared in a ghost-like form and…"

I looked at her funny while I thought of what kind of conclusion she might've come up with. Wait, "Did you think that he was dead or something?"

"Yeah, the thought came to me just when we got home." She walked to the side of her bed and sat down. She took off her glasses and started to wipe her eyes.

Now I really felt rotten for my tone earlier. "Angie?"

"Hmm…"

"I can assure you that Daniel's alive."

"I know," she placed her glasses back on her face, "otherwise you wouldn't be here." Right, we share a mind and body, if one of us goes down then the other goes too.

Something that she said earlier came back to mind, "Hang on, you said that Daniel appeared in a ghost-like form."

"Yeah…"

"Well, twice Daniel seemed to have left his body."

"What?"

"Yeah and when he comes back he can't remember what happened."

"Hmm… When has he disappeared?"

"This morning and just now. Why?"

"That's exactly the same time that I've seen him today."

"You mean you saw him both times."

"Well, the first time I didn't know it was him but I can feel the energy around people so when I compared the second encounter to the first they were the same." I nodded.

"But why does he leave in the first place."

"I think it might have something to do with me in trouble or stressed out now that I think about it."

"Why?"

"The first encounter happened when I was stressing about Eggman and almost slipped and fell but he caught me. The second encounter happened when we coming home and the car skidded near out of control but he stopped it. Or I think he did. There's no way that the car did it by itself."

"So you think these situations triggered him to leave."

"Well, they have something to do with it."

"It's plausible but why would his body be left behind and how come he can't remember what he does between leaving and returning?"

"No idea. Oh, is he you know, back?"

"Yeah, there's no worry, but I don't know if it's better for me to stay out."

"Well, why don't you stay out? I think if Daniel came out now I'd forget that we're trying to solve a mystery."

"_Do you mind?"_

"_Not at all, besides it will be good for to get to know her better. After all, what kind of best friend doesn't try to be friends with his best friend's girlfriend?"_

"_I think we'll get along just fine."_

When I snapped back , she was looking at me in anticipation. "Where should we start?"

"I wonder if this has to do with the whole Protector's package."

"I wondered the same thing a few minutes ago."

"Hmm…" she brought her hand to her chin and closed her eyes. She gasped an excited gasp. "That's it. The family records." She got up on her feet.

"Family records?"

"It's a tradition for Protectors to write and pass down everything that's happened to them from when strange things start to happen to when they know to their end of Protector ship."

"You can read, umm…, what language did they speak?"

"Well, the whole Protector thing started when the Aztec Empire had just started, so the first language they were written in was… Nahuatl. Oh, and no I can't read it. There's no need."

"Why?"

"The original copies were either destroyed or yet to be discovered. When the Spaniards took over the Protector of the time made copies of the records and hid the records in a cave where they wouldn't think to look for valuables. The language changed so the last few Protectors who knew the language had to translate the copies and write their stories, all done in secrecy of course."

"Right your ancestors had powers to allow them to do that."

"Yup."

"So, why didn't your ancestors fight them with their super natural powers?"

"It wasn't right to fight another man with our powers it wouldn't be a fair fight. We had to swear to only attack evil super natural forces."

"So did any of the originals survive?"

"Only the ones that were written after the Spaniards took over survived. Time took the originals away. Dad keeps the ones who survived in a temperature controlled case. Right now we're trying to translate them into English."

"How many have you translated?"

"Only ten but those are from when we were at our busiest."

"So it shouldn't be long for us to find something."

"Yeah, I'll be back."


	13. Chapter 13

Angie's POV

I left Caleb in my room to get some of the books from the library. The library is actually a room that was built into the house before we moved in.

When I walked in, I recalled that the most recent resources were to the left while the oldest were to the right. In the middle was my dad's desk. The back faced the door. Facing the front of the desk was the glass case for the older accounts. I remembered that not much has happened in the last century and that the most activity was in the earlier years. I looked for the English copies of the older accounts to the right.

I found a few journals that dad has translated. For each protector that he's been able to get to translate he rewrote their story in journals that were manmade. He bought them in from Mexico from people who live in the mountains who make handmade crafts and sell them in the city. He thought that this would be a reasonably traditional way of rewriting them. The journals are different shades of brown and have a rough texture. On the each cover there is a picture of a god or animal. The paint used to draw them on is also manmade and is very bright.

I picked some books and piled them carefully. I left and went to my room. So that I don't accidently drop the books, I knocked on my door with my foot. Caleb opened the door and stepped aside so that I could step in. "Thanks."

"No Prob."

I closed the door with my foot and placed the books on my bed. I turned to him he had already placed himself beside the pile. I know that he's a part of Daniel but I'm just not used to seeing him instead Daniel. It's a little weird but it's nice to spend some time with him. After all when they're out and we're in we sometimes are able to black out the world and let them be alone. I don't know exactly what he's like.

"All right, let's get to work." He was looking at the window in a sort of trance like state.

"_Hmm, must be Daniel."_

"_Do you think he's a little uncomfortable with this?"_

"_I don't know, are you?"_

"_No, besides it's nice for a best friend to know who's dating their best friend."_

"_If you say so. Although, we are going to have to let you two get to know each other a bit better. It's only fair."_

"Sorry about that." I turned my attention back to the hedgehog. "I was talking with Daniel."

"And…"

"And he's glad that we're on the case."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that."

"What do you mean?"

I sighed and sat down. He gently pushed the books to the side.

"It's kind of hard to go from a scientist to… a protector who understands all the mystical things around her."

"You mean all of this illogical according to science and that you never found time to fully understand who you are according to your duty."

"Precisely, I'm afraid that everything I know is disproven."

"You mean that everything that happened to the Protectors is true and many things that science says will be disproven by these eye witnessed accounts."

"You are a smart one aren't ya?" I was amazed. It would take Daniel quite a while to understand what I meant but he gets it lightning fast. It's almost scary.

"Nah, I'm just better with dumbing stuff down than most and apply background information very efficiently."

I smiled and giggled.

"Come on, let's crack open these books. We don't have all night."

"When's your curfew?"

"No need, but growing kids need their sleep." There was a pause. "Sorry." He scrunched up his face in embarrassment.

"Forget it and you know you can always stay here with me."

"But would you prefer Daniel with you or would I be able to stay out and sleep downstairs."

"You two decide that." I smirked and grabbed a book. I went through about half the pile as he did and nothing.

Then I heard Caleb exclaimed, "Hey," he tapped me on the shoulder, "I think I found something."

"Really?" I turned to him with hopeful eyes. He pushed the piles of _read_ and _unread_ books aside and moved closer. He pointed to an entry. "Take a look." I shut the book in my hands shut and scooted closer to read where he pointed. The first sentence I read was:

_Her spirit was sent to save me._

"_Spirit"_

I read on.

_I was climbing the hill, lost in my thoughts. My Dark Soldier, whoever he may be, I knew was after me. I could feel it in my bones. _

_The pressure of knowing that the entire world rests on my shoulders is becoming unbearable. I do not know if this is an honor from the Gods or a great burden that they sent on me. However, I had not displeased them to my knowledge. So, now, I suppose I should be honored to have this responsibility placed on me._

_The dangers that I would go through are what really frighten me. The things that a Dark Soldier could conjure up leaves me awake at night. I was deep in my thoughts that I didn't notice a boulder was rolling right towards me. It wasn't until it bumped my shoulder that I knew it was there. _

_Then, somehow, it rolled back up. I looked thinking that this was the gods doing until I saw a figure at the top of the hill. The figure was my fiancé. She disappeared as if the wind had carried her away._

"Yeah, that's a lot like it happened."

"Then I think we found what we were looking for?"

"An explanation has got to be close." The rest said:

_I ran as fast I could to my father. I knew that if anyone had answers it was him. I explained it all to my father when I reached our mud brick home. _

_He only chuckled. "You are in a lot of stress that's why she came to you."_

"_What?"_

"_When a protector is very much distracted and something is about to, let us say, crush him then the spirit of his lover will come to save him."_

"So that's it, he's protecting you."

"That answers that question, but why can't he remember anything?"

"Well, there's still another page to the entry, maybe that'll give us an answer. Oh and I've also got a question that I'll save off until the end."

"I hope that I can answer it then."

_I took in the new information, processing it and a few more questions rose. "Can she control it?"_

"_No, and for awhile she won't remember the acts that she has done."_

"_Why?"_

"_It's a test of true love. A Protector can only reveal his secret to his true love so that she can help him keep the secret a secret. So, if you married and told her but it turns out that she is not the one then she knows what you are. Therefore, she can be manipulated by the Dark Soldier while your true love is protected by the can't remember anything because of that. So, if she remembers after sometime then it will be up to you to explain what's going on. When and if she remembers son, that's when you know that she is your match, the one to bare the next Protector."_

"_Wait, if her spirit comes to me what happens to her body?"_

"_Her body is left lifeless until she returns to it. It is important that she returns as soon as possible so that no one proclaims her to be dead and to make sure that your Dark Soldier doesn't reach it first."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because otherwise the Dark Soldier can destroy her body and leave the spirit without a vessel." He didn't need to explain further. A spirit without a vessel will either roam around or rest in peace._

"_Why just her spirit?"_

"_The spirit is stronger than any physical form, remember that."_

That was all. I placed my hand at the back of my neck and whispered, "Holy Cow."

"Can you still answer my questions?"

"Um…" I said as I closed the book and placed it in a pile. "I'll try my best." I didn't want my feet dangle off the edge of the bed anymore so I slipped off my shoes and crossed my legs as I sat towards Caleb. He looked at me questionably. I smiled and said, "Go on, it's okay." So he did the same.

We looked at each other a moment. "Well, what is a Dark Soldier?"

"Personification of evil. Like us only one is born each generation, but they start their training way before we do. Their sole purpose is to destroy us and take over the spiritual and physical world."

"So then she's your nemesis?"

"Yup."

"How did this happen?"

"That ties in with our creation and I'm not sure if you'd like to hear it."

"I like stories and the best part is you won't be reading it from a book. You know it by heart I presume?"

"Kind of a requirement. Okay, so the battle between good and evil is an everlasting battle but it really comes to life in our tale. Long ago, when the Aztecs' empire was starting to reach its heyday, a god grew envious of a mortal. The god cursed him. The effect was cataclysmic. The mortal was a nice young man that turned evil, devious, and magical. That mortal took the throne by force and brought poverty to every citizen, all but two families.

A lesser god had come to them in disguise and warned them of what would happen. One family had a son while the other had a daughter. The son knew that something had to be done, so he prayed to the gods to give him an answer. The answer turned out to be him himself. The gods gave him a strange item that would hang around his waist and would give him great power. The young man used that power to battle the magical mortal.

The evil mortal saw that his magic was no match for the young man's power and so he disappeared. Everything went back to the way that it was. But, the evil being didn't disappear completely. He was able to pretend to be his original self but with a different body because he knew he'd be killed for the people had seen his face. He lived a normal life, had a wife and a child who was just as evil as he was. We gave them the name of our Dark Soldiers for there is darkness in their hearts, and they're born fighters. To this day the reincarnations haven't stopped."

"Amazing, very vague but amazing."

"A lot of things that are passed off as myth or legend are vague."

"True. So, do you know who your Dark Soldier is?"

"Nope, she'll never show her face to me because she blends with people so well that I will never suspect her. It's been that way since the beginning. But who ever she is…" I paused trying to contain my sudden anger. "… She'd better stay away from Daniel.

"Whoa," he reached over and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Calm down Angie. Whoever she, I'm sure that I can handle her when Daniel's gone."

"Maybe… oh, but you don't know what you're up against. Many times they've come close to kill us off. And you wouldn't always be there to help him." I got up and started pacing around my room. Something from the entry came to mind. "What makes it worse is that I wasn't supposed to tell him, or anyone else for that matter."

"So why did you? It's common sense for a superhero to not say who she is." I stopped with my back facing him.

"_Why __did __I tell?"_

"_Don't look at me, I was still in development."_

"_I know I know."_

"Well…" I turned around. I saw that he wasn't too far away. I looked straight into his eyes and for a brief moment I saw Daniel's eyes. I knew my answer.

"I thought it would be easier to keep the secret from outsiders."

"Well, what are you going to do if it turns out that Daniel wasn't for you?"

That hit me directly in the heart. I felt an arrow go through my heart and twist itself to intensify the pain. I felt weak and almost fell. The next thing I knew, Daniel was holding me on my bed. I was on his lap and he was rocking me back and forth. "Sh… it's okay."

"No it's not," I mumbled. I dug my head into his neck. "What am I going to do if you're…?" I got that feeling of the arrow in my heart again.

"We'll deal with it, if it happens okay?"

Then I heard a phone ring.


	14. Chapter 14

**I dedicate this chapter to Justo Lamas. May your mother be proud of you. Buenas suerte y que Dios de bendiga. For non-Spanish speakers that's 'Good luck and God bless you' in English. Another thing, the J in his name is pronounced like an H. Just so you know.**

* * *

Angie's POV

I saw Daniel reach for his front pocket. He looked at the caller ID.

"Mom?"

"Your mom's callin'?"

"Yeah." He looked at me questionably. "She never calls when I leave a note." He brought the phone to his ear. "Hello?" There was a pause and then I thought I heard crying. "Mom Mom. What's wrong?"

I grew worried myself. I studied his face for any clues. He went from a cocked eyebrow to a slightly scrunched up eyes to complete fear to bitter melancholy. Slowly, ever so slowly he brought his phone down and placed it where it belonged. He looked straight ahead with a blank expression on his face. There was a silence.

I didn't want to rush it, but my curiosity got the better of me. "Daniel?" I stood up. He didn't stir. "What's wrong?" Still, he didn't move. I sat down and took his head in my hands; forcing him to look at me. "Tell me," I demanded as softly as I could.

I wanted to help him. Something was wrong and I couldn't stand to see him hurt. He looked at me with hurt in his eyes. "My grandma in Puerto Rico is dying of cancer."

"What?" I didn't have to ask that; it just slipped past my lips. He looked at me with eyes acting as dams. I could feel his breath increasing in speed. I brought his head to my chest. It was my turn to comfort him. "Let it out. Please! If not for me then for your grandma."

"I," he said weakly.

"Daniel, this shouldn't allow you to keep it in. You never met her before." Right after that, I felt my shirt grow wet. After a while, he brought his face to the base of my neck. He whimpered.

Then he muttered, "Why? Why?" Over and over again. I began to cry myself. Seeing him like this was enough to bring me to tears. I showed some empathy. Losing a grandma, especially one you haven't met, hurts. Who knows how long we had our little cry-fest, but when it was over, I asked, "Better?"

He sniffled one last time, and took his head out from my neck. "Yeah."

I looked at him sad and worried. "Do you want to stay here tonight?"

"I don't know." His hand was now at the back of his neck and his head was facing down to the side. "Luis won't be home for awhile and I doubt my brother would be much help."

"You sure?"

He groaned and brought his arms in covered his face with his hands. I wanted to reach out and touch him; to hold him again, but I was too scared to. I had never seen him like this before. It was almost as if he turned into a demon or something that just plainly wasn't him.

"I-I want to stay, b-but I can't just leave my mom all alone."His phone rang again. Again, he took it out and answered "Hello?" He still looked sad. "Really?" He grew excited. "I'm with Angie." His eye brow cocked. "So you want – Okay. I'll see."

"What?"

"Luis said to get permission to stay here."

"Really?" My back sprang up.

"He says he's on his way home and thinks it might be a good idea for mom to have my brother and me to be out of the house."

"Why?" Not that I was nosy or anything? Just curious.

"Mom doesn't cry. She's always strong for her boys. I think I don't need to further explain." I only shook my head up and down.

"So where should I sleep?"

"The sanctuary should be best."

Then there was a knock at the door. We both froze in our spots.

"Angie, honey. Are you okay?" She stepped in and closed the door. She gasped at the sight of Daniel. "Daniel? B-but how did…" She trailed off. I wondered why until I saw Daniel's expression of nothingness. I didn't get it. He looked fine just a few seconds ago. Did the sight of my mom happy made him think of how heart broken his own mom should be. "Daniel?"

"Hmm…" He looked up at her. She walked closer and sat down. She placed a hand on his shoulder which made him turn towards her. Her hands then found themselves on her lap. His feat dangled.

"Did something happen at home?"

"Not exactly." He turned his head towards the rest of my room.

"Is it something that I can help you with?"

"Not unless you can perform miracles." Mom looked at me questionably. I didn't think that I should have been the one to tell her. With my head I gestured towards him to tell her to ask him.

"What's wrong?"

"M-my grandma is…" he choked on the last word. I could see the tears forming in his eyes. I felt my heart ache at seeing him like this. I had a feeling that he might not have the strength to mutter those words.

I asked, "Want me to tell her?" He looked at me and nodded while he smashed his lips together.

"His grandma in Puerto Rico is dying of cancer."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She placed an arm on his shoulder.

"Mrs. A?" He didn't seem sad anymore, but not happy either.

"Yes?"

"Can I stay here tonight?" She looked at him confused but quickly answered him.

"Shouldn't you be with your family because of this?"

"My mom doesn't want her boys to see her cry."

"I see." I saw her biting down on her lip trying to figure out what to do. I knew that there was a chance she'd still say no and I couldn't let that happen.

"Mom?" I tried my best to exploit the little girl cuteness and adorableness that I still had. "Please let him stay here. He needs someone to hold him tonight. He needs me." I looked at her with big eyes. She looked at me trying to look stern, but I could see her struggle.

Her struggle made her scrunch up her face so that she wouldn't have to look at my innocent face. For a moment, things stood still. Eventually, my mom was able to gasp out, "Okay."

"Yes." Turns out my little girl appearance had its advantages.

Daniel said, "Thank you Mrs. A."

"Yes, well. I think you should you know my regulations for something like this."

"You know, I feel insulted now."

"Huh?"We both looked at him funny. I was glad that he was starting to sound like his old self.

"Do you really think I'd try anything when I'm mourning?" Again, we looked at him, but this time, with understanding.

"I'm sorry Daniel. Truly I am. But." She stopped to think. "Well, it's just, that… um."

"You don't have to explain Mrs. A. I know your story and I know that that's the reason why you're careful with her. But you should know that I don't want my mom's story to become ours or yours, for that matter."

I could see the tears forming in his eyes as well as mine. My mother, however, had them dripping from her face. She sniffled just as I released a tear. I rubbed my eyes not wanting to cry, I wanted to be strong. I could let it out some other time, but not now when he needs me now more than ever.

I saw her smile. She nodded and rubbed her eyes with one hand. "Thank you," she whispered. "Uh, dinner will be ready soon soo, I suggest staying up here until you're done."

"Thanks mom." When she left, I asked," What do you want to do?"

He sighed and lied down with his knees bended over the side of the bed. "Well, I guess the worst part of my state is over, but just in case, anything to get my mind off of it." He almost choked out the last few words.

I thought about it. We needed something that was the least bit related to death. "We… could… watch cartoons with my little sister." He turned his head towards me. He gave me a funny look and then smiled. He looked like he wanted to laugh.

"You're serious?"

"Sure… I mean, it will distract you."

"I guess." He sat up again. "She is really sweet."

"But you might not want to tell her why… you're staying."I looked down to the side pulling some hair behind my ear.

"Ye-ah, that sounds about right."

When we had dinner, Dad was surprised to find Daniel here. We were not used to having house guests that weren't family. The good news is; we were able to make it through. The bad news is; Dad gave us a hard time about being alone together over night. Again, it's from experience that they got tensed.

For once, I was happy that Crystal was asking a lot of questions. She didn't know anything about this kind of stuff. While she was trying to satisfy her unfathomable curiosity, we made our great escape.

In my room in the sanctuary, I was changing into one of night shirts while Daniel was in the bathroom changing into PJs that I had Sandra keep handy. When he came out and saw me, he smiled. "You're smiling," I said. I walked across the room towards him.

"I remember."

"Remember what?"

"Space Jam."

I looked down at my purple night shirt. Bugs Bunny had his tongue sticking out with hearts in his eyes looking at Lola Bunny who was coolly smiling at him. He laughed.

"I keep wondering when they'll make another live-action film."

"Who knows," I turned around and walked towards the bed. "But I do know that you and me could use a good night's rest."

"It's only eight on a Friday night." He looked at me with wide eyes.

I sighed. "Okay." I sat down on the bed. "What do you want to do?"

"Are there any options?"

I looked around looking for things we could do. "We could… just lie down and listen to music, watch some TV or a movie, or we could do a puzzle."

"I think some songs should do me some good." He smiled weakly at me.

"Come on." I crawled towards my spot and got under Blanky. It was never like I needed it to sleep; it was, just that it was a gift from my grandmother. She got it for me for Christmas when I was little-er. To this day, I cherish it with all my heart. Daniel got in.

I asked, "Any requests."

"_Downpour_."

"You sure?" I looked at him with concern.

"Yeah, it kinda matches my mood." He turned his head towards me. His sad eyes made my heart wrench.

"Would you like to hear _Siempre por Siempre?"_

_"_Whose song is that?"

"Justo Lamas."

He looked at me funny. "He's a singer from Buenos Aires, Argentina."

"Is he good?"

"Yeah, I like his music."

"All right then." I smiled. "Just remember…" He brought his finger to the tip of my nose. "I trust you."

I pushed his finger away. "As you should." I smiled.

"I really appreciate this Ang." He placed a hand on my cheek and I placed my hand over his.

"Glad I could help."


	15. Chapter 15

**A bit short, I know but I wanted to get something up before finals and to have Sonic and Amy to be put into the story more. Now that another science project has been added to my plate I'm not sure if I can find the time to update again in the next four weeks. Any who enjoy!**

* * *

Amy's POV

"Sonic, don't you think we should visit them?" We were sitting outside on the porch. He looked at me with a huge smirk on his face. Typical.

"You worry too much. You know that?"

"I can't help it. I've been getting a bad feeling."

He sighed. "Okay. If it means that much to you."

"Really?" I looked at him with hopeful eyes. My hands were intertwined on my chest.

He smiled. "Yeah. Just so that you can see that there's nothing to worry about. If I didn't know better I'd say that you don't trust our teaching skills."

I hugged him as I said, "Thank you." He wrapped an arm around me bring me closer.

"I miss 'em too."

"I still can't believe this." I told him.

"What?"

"We're parents." I pushed him away gently. I looked at him waiting for a response.

"It's part of the crazy life of a hero I guess." I don't think he even knows what to say to me. We were both kind of… I don't know, it was the heat of the moment or something.

"It wasn't even the natural way either." We fell silent and shifted in our seats. Awkward much… and it was all my fault.

"Again, it's a crazy life." He shrugged. "Besides, I battled genies, put the world back together… this isn't the weirdest thing that's happened."

"I never could understand how you can be so mellow about these things."

"You'll learn."

"Eventually."

"Just as long as you do. It doesn't matter how."

"Heh." I looked out at the night sky. Sometimes when Sonic would leave me in the dust I'd look at the stars hoping that the one that I wished on would give me answer as to why he wouldn't at least give me a chance. It was clear night that night. The stars and the moon shined bright and casted the shadow of every tree and bush in our sight. "Sonic?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think the kids are up to?"

"If I know them as well as I think I know them, they should be doing what we're doing now. Enjoying each other's company."

I looked at him questionably. He didn't look at me the slightest bit. I wondered if there would ever be a time when he would be _completely _okay with the fact that Caleb is the boy that our daughter has feelings for. He _says _that he's okay with it, but I don't think he means it. I don't think that it is because of the fact that he's Shadow's son. No, it must be because that she's our first child; not to mention that she's our only child.

"Can you bear to lose her?"

He snapped his head right in my direction. "Wha-what do you mean?" He looked down though his face didn't move from my direction. He seemed; nervous? Okay, maybe I might have been hallucinating, but for a moment there, I thought I had lost him.

I shook my head and answered, "I mean, would you be able to let her live on her own. Get married. Let her travel when she wants to."

He swallowed hard. Did I just hit a sensitive spot there? He nodded his head. "Y-yeah, I mean it's not like we can't visit her, right?"

I smiled at him coolly. "Now who's worried?"

"Wh-what? Me?" He fake being hurt.

"Yup." I nodded slowly with a great grin on my face. However, I was biting my lip trying not to make it bigger.

"I-I never said that I was worried." He crossed him arms over his chest and held his head high. I grabbed his hand from his chest and held it. He looked at me with a cocked eyebrow.

"It's okay." He blinked. "I don't want to lose her either." He sighed. "But she has to grow up and we won't always be there for her."

He got a grin back on his face. I thought about what I had said. That's when it hit me and suddenly I felt like a complete idiot. "I-I still want to see how they're doing."

"Whatever you say Amy." He took his hand back. I slapped him playfully. "Did you do that on purpose?"

"What?"

"Asking me that question."

"Um, yeah. I wanted to know what you were thinking."

He gave me a skeptical look.

I sighed. "And I wanted to know if it was because she's close to leaving or the fact that she's dating Shadow's son."

"That still isn't helping me either here Ames." He looked like he had an ache in the pit of his stomach.

"Yeah. I figured." He gave me a sad smile and looked around; looking for something to say no doubt.

"You know it just seems that you're _Bigger _Amy."

"Seems?" I challenged him.

"Okay okay. You are _Bigger_. Leaving me to make it all up to you."

"The only thing is how. You owe me a good part of my life."

"It'll come to me. You know, eventually."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised." He smiled at me and stretched his arm out inviting me to cuddle with him I took it. "Oh Sonic. What am I going to do with you?"

"You could hear me out more." He knew that I meant it to be a rhetorical question.

"Oh yes, I'm going to take advice from a hedgehog with reckless behavior beyond compare," I said in a sarcastic matter.

"But you've got to admit that it's been fun keeping me around."

"I guess…"

"You guess?"

"Well, it's been fun for the most part."

"I see."

"Hey, I never asked to get kidnapped just to get to you."

"True. But you did choose hang around despite the dangers."

I closed my eyes and nuzzled into his chest. "And I will never regret it."


	16. Chapter 16

**Well, Finals are done. School isn't an adversity. I'm back at full power. Well as full of power as I was last summer. I'll be volunteering at Brookfield Zoo again this summer. Be sure to give me brake if I don't update every week.**

* * *

Sonic's POV

Early morning, Amy and I made our way to Earth. We wanted to surprise the kids so we didn't call first. Using Tails' machine we were able to arrive in the sanctuary.

"Sonic? Amy?" Sandra came to us on one of her screens.

Amy said, "Hey Sandra. Are the kids here?"

"Well, Daniel and Angie are up in her room anyway."

"Perfect." She smiled and nodded.

"Hey, how've they been?"

"I know that Angie's been kind of stressed lately. Annie… 's fine. Perfectly fine."

"How long has she been stressed?"

"Since Tails warned us about Eggman."

Amy said, "I knew something was up." She sounded more worried than she did victorious.

I sighed. I was afraid of that. Shocking, I know. I guess that's what being a father does to you. But hey, when you watch a young hero grow for a bit, you grow attach. Right now, I don't know why her confidence is so… low. I know what she can do, she's gifted… she just needed a bit of polishing and she was ready to go. She's got the spirit and brains… she understands what's at stake… she was ready at eight for crying out loud. She's got to face him again and she's got to take him down… alone. If she doesn't, she might be able to face the Dark Soldier.

Amy said, "Are they up yet?"

"Nope." Sandra answered.

"Great. A nice breakfast will perk them up."

I said, "I think just seeing us will do the trick just fine."

Sandra came in with, "Would you like me to wake them for you?"

"I think I can do that just fine." I told her.

"All right then. I'll start on the chores."

Amy smiled. "Thanks Sandra."

"We'll see you later." With that, she left and so did we. Amy went to the kitchen while I went upstairs to wake Angie and Daniel. I just hoped that it won't be awkward when they see me. I knocked on her door before entering. Strangely enough, the sight fairly warmed up my heart. They seemed sooooo… innocent, so peaceful, like six year olds passed out on the couch after running around for so long. I walked to Angie, her face so small and young. I reached out to ruffle her hair. But before I could, she snapped her head at me and grabbed my hand. I looked at her. Her face said 'go away.'

"It's okay. It's just me," I said faster than I could run. She, as quickly, sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry, I just… Hey!" She looked at me questionably. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Can't I stop by to see my student and daughter?" I smirked at her. She smiled and turned her head. And then brought it back to look at me. A friendly smile was still on her face.

"Did we come at a bad time?" I said while looking over to Daniel.

"Well…" she began with her face scrunching up and her voice nasally, "Yes and no." I looked at her puzzled. "You see, I could use a few eyes looking out for me. And now Daniel is kinda sad."

"Why, what happened?"

"I…" She shook her head slowly. "I don't think that it's my problem to admit."

"What?" What kind of a problem? Was he… drinking or doing drugs? But that doesn't sound like Daniel at all. How could he slip? And it's only been a few months since we left them. School shouldn't be stressing him out. His mom and step dad might be having problems but they've gotten into fights before and he never did anything. He's not picked on at school; that I know of.

Daniel started to stir. I ran to his side in time to see Angie hover over him with a sweet smile. I got a feeling of awkwardness. No further explanation I hope.

"Daniel?" I heard her say sweetly. My eye twitched slightly.

He lightly moaned. "Not now mom." Angie and I laughed.

"Daniel?" She nudged his arm. His eyes opened. And… then he saw me. "Gah!" I looked at him funny while his hand was over his heart. He breathed pretty fast. "Give a guy a warning why don't you!"

"Sorry."

"Wait. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He didn't try to think of something to say. He just looked down. Now I knew something was up.

I have no idea of how I was able to ask this but I did, "What have you been doing?"

"Mourning," he said flatly.

"Huh?"

Angie jerked in, "Can-can we just meet you downstairs?"

"Sure, just hope you're hungry. Amy's cooking breakfast."

"So Amy's here too?" Daniel asked.

I answered, "Yup." I left the young ones alone.

When they came down, Amy had finished making breakfast. It was their favorite: scrambled eggs, toast with butter, hash browns and orange juice. Guess it was to add to our surprise visit.

"Morning Angie, Daniel." Amy greeted them. I told her that Daniel was here too and about my little suspicions.

"Hi Amy!" Angie ran towards her and hugged her. I noticed Daniel stood in place near the doorsill. He was looking at Angie and Amy with something between jalousie and sadness. What the heck is going on with that boy?

He said, "Morning Amy."

"Have a seat," She told him.

At the table, I noticed that Daniel was eating painfully slow. He was eating at least but I still knew something was up.

Amy noticed it too. "Is something wrong? I thought that this was your favorite."

"Huh, oh nothing. Nothing's wrong Amy. And it is my favorite. It's just…" he brought his head down so that it was hovering over his plate. He sighed. "I guess you could say there's a family emergency."

"I see," I said. He brought his head back to look at me.

Amy said, "It's okay if you don't want to tell us."

"Thanks."

_KNOCK. KNOCK._

Angie said, "Who could that be?" She hopped out her seat. "I'll get it." She left and when she came back, I should have known that they would show up. Star and Shadow walked in with Angie.

"Daniel!" Star ran up to him and hugged him.

"Star? Shadow? What are you guys doing here?"

"We came to visit you. And well… we heard what happened." Shadow answered.

Star added, "We wanted to look for you but Luis said that you were takin' care of." She looked at Angie

Angie looked like she was smiling in a pretty weird way. It almost looked like she was pain.

Star turned back to Daniel. "Are you okay?"

"You could say that."

"Daniel!" She said it in a way that only a mother could.

"The worst part is over. I-I just need just some time alone..."

"With Angie I suppose."

"No. Just me."

And then I heard a ringing. Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"Hello – Yeah it's me – I'm better – Wha- really?" Happy. He sounded happy. "Um, yeah definitely ."

"What?" We all asked.

"I'm going to Puerto Rico."

"Huh?" Amy and I didn't get it all that much. He looked at us, then down without moving his face. He looked at us again and sighed.

"My grandma there is, well, she has cancer." So that's it. He wasn't doing anything. He was just worrying over his grandma. It made me feel bad of wrongly accusing him. "I-I've never met her. I'll finally get to see her. Unfortunately, it will be my last chance to see her."

Angie walked over to him. "Meaning that is bitter sweet."

"Yeah that just about wraps it up."

I said, "But you get to see her none the less."

"And for once, I get to travel outside the States."

"I still feel sorry for you." Angie told him.

He looked at her confused.

"Because here I am going to Mexico every other year and you've never left this state." She told him.

"Well, it's not like I have full control of the finances."

"True."

"Although, this does mean that I won't be here for Christmas."

"It's okay. I can last two weeks."

"If you say so."

"Heh. Besides I have family and three hedgehogs to keep me company."

He looked over to me and Amy. It almost looked like he was asking us to watch over her for him.


	17. Chapter 17

Angie's/Annie's POV

Winter Break wasn't as bad as I thought it would be without Daniel. Mom and Dad took the whole two weeks off and we spent it like a family with three hedgehogs. Sonic, Amy and Annie had their times when my parents didn't mind that I wasn't out here for awhile. All I had to do now was decide where we were going for my birthday dinner.

The first of January was never when my mom thought she would have me. It's not the best day even if it is my birthday. Mom and Dad never miss a New Year's party, so when I was little we never celebrated my birthday. Everyone just came by to drop off presents because it was my birthday and because they were sorry that I couldn't have a party. I never understood why they were sorry until I learned about alcohol mixed with adults.

I told them that if they weren't going to throw me a party; at least take me out to whatever restaurant I want. Since then, they tried not to go overboard. Usually they don't get bad hangovers but even when I was small I learned not to wake Mom and Dad up early on my birthday. Ever since I built the sanctuary, my sister and I would always go down there until Mom called us by using the phone that goes right to Sandra's screens.

That day, Crystal and I went down to the sanctuary to find that Amy made breakfast already. She smiled at us as she took off her apron. A stack of pancakes sat in the middle of the table.

"Morning girls."

"Morning Amy." My sister and I said.

"Hey you two," Sonic said as he came into the room.

"Hey Sonic." We both said again.

For some reason, ever since Cryst could talk, our greetings were always said at the same time and what we said was always the same. Mom thinks it's adorable because she thinks it shows the bond that we share. Some bond that is.

"Oh, there's someone waiting for you in your room again." He had a huge smirk on his face. That should have told me that there was something he wasn't telling me. But I was too excited knowing that that meant only one thing. A sly grin made its way onto my face. "Excuse me Amy but I've got an appointment that I got to keep."

"Of course." A similar grin appeared on her face.

"What appointment?" Cryst piped up with.

I scrunched up my body. Classic Crystal. "Oh, I just mean that I have to go up to my room for a few minutes."

"Because?"

"Someone's waiting for me there and I'd hate to be rude."

"Oh, well that's okay then right Amy?"

"Uh-huh."

I ran to my room. Daniel was standing by the foot of my bed.

"Daniel!" I ran to him and pushed him down onto my bed. I gave him a sweet kiss.

"Wow. We should leave town more often, ay Caleb?"

I giggled at his comment. I laid down my head on his chest and sighed. "I missed you."

"I missed you too Ang." He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a gentle squeeze. For a moment, we remained motionless.

Then I remembered something. "Oh, hey I still haven't given you my present yet." I got off of him and asked, "Sandra can you bring me-"

She interrupted with, "Daniel's and Caleb's gifts. But of course." She brought me two carefully wrapped boxes. One was wrapped with light blue paper with a black ribbon while the other was wrapped in black paper with a light blue ribbon. He got off my bed and walked towards me.

"Before I open it. How'd you like yours?"

Somehow, the boys were able to get away and drop off our presents on Christmas Eve while we were all celebrating with my family at one of my uncle's house. When we got back, I noticed the two boxes sitting on my bed and I didn't know where they came from until I read the card that sat in between them. He got me a mixed CD with the chorus of Rap songs. I don't know why but although I love Pop, I also like choruses to rap songs. Call me crazy. Caleb gave Annie her own glasses cleaning kit. She'll need it at some point. Oh, he also gave her sandals from Puerto Rico.

"I love it."

I placed Caleb's present on my bed and held Daniel's with on hand near my face. I was leaning on top of my right leg with my left sort of bend with my left big toe touching the floor. I smiled with a hint of trouble. When he was about to grab it, I flung it behind me so that it hit the closet door.

"What was that for?" I kept a smile even though he looked mad at me. He walked passed me as I turned around.

"Open the closet."

"Why?"

"Your present's not in the box."

He turned around and looked at me while he shook his head slowly looking at like the sight of me made him sick. He won't feel that way for long. I kept a smirk on my face. "Just open the closet."

He turned around and then back again. He gave me a confused glare and said, "You are not my Angie."

"Oh I think you'll think otherwise soon."

He turned back around and opened the closet. "I stand corrected." I laughed and ran to his side. He looked at me and smiled. "Tell me again. What did I do to deserve you," he said as he picked up the guitar case I got for him. His brother used his last one as a part of a prank and destroyed it.

"Just being you I guess." He gave me a one-arm hug

"_I know that it's your birthday and all but I'd like to thank Caleb and give him my present too."_

"_Right. Sorry."_

"_Eh, it's understandable."_

"Um Daniel?"

"Yeah, yeah I know." We laughed.

* * *

FINALLY! I haven't been out with Caleb in months. I was lucky to be let out at all these last two weeks.

"Caleb." He smiled at me. He came to me and lifted me off my feet in the air twirling me around. He brought me down into his arms slowly. I wrapped my arms around his neck. For a moment, we just smiled and stared at each other. Slowly, I brought my lips to his. I kind of blanked out for a few moments. When reality set back in, I was able to feel Caleb supporting my weight.

"I hate being repetitive but maybe we should leave town more often.

"Please don't. Angie could barely calm me down." Then I remembered that his gift was still on top of the bed. "I think we forgot something." He looked at me funny. I giggled and pulled away. I sat on the bed and picked up the gift. He followed me and sat down next to me. I held it out to him and he took it gently. "Oh. And I loved my gift."

"You're welcome." He unwrapped his gift. "No way!" I got him the soundtrack to the musical, _The Phantom of the Opera_ and the 20th anniversary version. He looked at me. "How great are you?"

"Very much. I think."

"Naturally."

I smiled and giggled. "Merry late-Christmas!"

"Thanks. And hey what did you get Angie?"

"We decided not to get each other gifts."

"Why?"

"We share a mind. After a while it'll slip."

"Right. That's what ruined my surprise."

"It's okay. He was going to know anyway."

"That is true."

"_Hey, if you like you two can stay out until dinner time."_

"_But it's your _quince _well your fifteenth birthday anyway."_

"_It's okay. You two enjoy yourselves."_

"_If you say so."_

* * *

That night, Daniel joined my parents and me to Chiles. After all, it was his birthday too and we thought it would be nice to celebrate together. Besides, his family wasn't in the mood for a celebration. Mom and Dad didn't have problem with it but that might have been because a Mexican girl's fifteenth birthday is supposed to be the biggest day of her life.

"Why don't you want a _quince_?" It was the next morning. We went straight to bed after we got back.

"Too much stress for one day. Especially since that kind of stress shouldn't be part of the stress that a teenage girl already has. That kind of stress is reserved for planning weddings.

"I haven't asked you yet," He joked.

"You might not be able to." I said being serious.

"Okay. Okay. Bad subject." He held his held hands up in a defensive position. He was sitting across from me on my bed. "Umm… how are the animals?"

"Healthy and happy."

"Finals?"

"Pretty easy, but new."

"Guess it makes taking them again easier."

I shrugged. There was silence. We sat still as Aaron Carter's _Girl You Shine _finished. Then Backstreet Boys' _Yes I Will. _Listening to it just made me tear up knowing that Daniel might not be my match. He won't get to pop the question if he's not the one after all.

"Ang?"

"Oh sorry," I said as I wiped my eyes. I saw a small box in his hands.

"I know that I already gave you your birthday present but this is just something I want to give to you." He held the velvet box out to me. I took it in my hands. If there was ever a time when I didn't want something to be in a small velvet box it would be now.

"Wh-what is it?'

"Open it." He smiled at me.

I weakly smiled back. I opened the little box. Inside, was a gold ring. It looked like a small red rose was right at home on top of it with small green leaves growing around it. A speck of silver was right in the middle of the flower shaped jewel.

"It's beautiful but how…"

"My grandma left it for me. At first, she was going to give it to my mom to decide which of her grandsons gets the ring. When I told her about you, she was overjoyed to hear that, one of her grandkids found a good one. Said that… she was afraid that none of us would have someone on our lives. I showed her a picture of you."

"You did?" My voice was slightly higher than usual but awfully quiet.

"Yup. She said you were the most adorable thing she had ever seen."

"Awe." Well, kind of expected. I'm tiny, with dark skin and black hair that almost looks blue. I don't know how, but it works.

He smiled. "Not that it's anything new." We laughed. "She really wanted to meet you." He said as he took my hand.

"Wish I could've. What was she like?"

"She liked to talk. Every time I visited her she always dragged on her stories. She always made sure not to be any trouble. I don't' think the nurse did much for her. Strong. Like my mom. Kept a smile no matter what." He burst suddenly with tears like a baby. He covered his face with his free hand.

"Oh, Daniel!" I was about to wrap my arms around him when he took his hand away from his face.

"No. I'm fine." He wiped away a few tears.

"You sure."

"Yeah," He nodded. I looked at him in a weird way. He wasn't telling me something.

"Is there something else you want to tell me?"

"Since you ask. That's a promise ring." He let go of my hand and pointed at the ring in the little box.

"Daniel," I started as I started to tear up and shook my head slowly as I leant down, "you know we-"

"I know." I looked up at him. "I just thought we might be able to still be together until you're sure that someone else is the one."

I didn't say anything. I just let the tears flow down. He wanted me to have his grandmother's ring. Yet he might not be my forever love, let alone the father to the next Protector. A part of me wanted to screw tradition; he doesn't deserve to have the girl he loves belong to someone else. Another part of me, the stronger part of me, knew that was how it was going to be if it turns out that someone else is supposed to be the father of my children. I couldn't bear the thought of him in a great deal of pain because he couldn't have me.

"I'll be fine if you have to leave me. I'm not going to let my feelings get in the way of the future of the world."

"I just," I choked out. "I just don't want to leave you so lonely without me."

He moved closer to me. "I'll be strong. I promise." I looked at his face. He had a gentle look on his face. He leaned in and kissed away the tears that weren't covered by my glasses. Our glasses _clang _a couple of times. I smiled at him when he ceased.

"So," he said as he took the ring out of its home, "Will you do me the honor of promising to be mine until further notice and wear my grandmother's ring?"

I mashed my lips together as new tears formed. However, those tears were out of joy. I nodded. _"Yes I will." _I sang along with the rest of the song. However, there was something in those lyrics that I couldn't guarantee.

The next one was _Please Don't go Girl _by The New Kids on the Block. Long story short, my mom's a fan she thought I might like them after she heard I liked the Backstreet Boys.

"Sandra!" For some reason, I thought Sandra was to blame for the convenient shuffle.

"What? I didn't do anything."

I knew I had to believe her because I programmed her to only speak the truth.

"Okay."

"Could we listen to something else?" Daniel looked as if he was begging me with his eyes.

"Of course. Next song." The song changed and came out with NKOTB's _Hangin' Tough_. "Better?"

"Much, actually." He took my hand again. "But there is something that could make it even better." He slipped off my glasses and placed them to the side. He did the same with his. In seconds I felt bliss like I never had before. Our lips did their dance which sent my mind to a whole other world where nothing can hurt me. Sometimes it seemed like I could just float.

When we were satisfied, I said, "Why does it seem like this never gets old?"

He shrugged. "Who would know? Really?"


	18. Chapter 18

Ben's POV

Well it's been a pretty hectic winter in Chicago. I love snow as much as the next guy but I don't need a foot of it on my doorstep. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live in Australia. Oh well. At least when I move out of the house I'll be able to roughly do whatever I want.

I looked out the window near my locker. It was softly snowing. A sprinkle of more snow on the snow that we already had piled everywhere we can put it. Then I noticed a couple of other high school students making out near a counselor's office. The next thing I knew, I was fantasizing that those two were me and Angie. I shook my head to get myself to come back to my senses.

I sighed, shut my locker, grabbed my bags, and left for the stairs. I wished that my locker was in Blue House like everyone else's. Even Eric's locker is down there. I thought about the previous picture that was in my sick mind. What was I thinking? I could never get Angie to like me like that. Could I? Even if I tried, would she go out with me because I'm her old teacher's son? I didn't want to find out. I liked her but would she like me back? I hadn't realized that I had stopped on the staircase during my thoughts.

"Oh. Ben there you are."

"Oh hey Angie!" She almost ran right into me.

"We were starting to think that you weren't here at all."

"I never miss school."

"I tried telling them that, but they won't listen." We laughed.

"Come on. Better show that I'm alive and well."

"Hmm…" We walked to Red House. I had a feeling that they sent her on purpose. I starred them down. Angie hadn't noticed. Then I wondered. "Where's Eric?" I heard a vibrating next to me.

"Oh. That must be him." She sounded all bubbly and giddy. Wished she'd sound like that when it concerned me. She put the phone to her ear. "Eric? Hey where are you?" She looked so worried. "Oh. Well hope you feel better. Kay. Late."

Sonia asked, "Is he sick?"

"Yup."

Molly said, "That's the fourth time this winter."

"I never thought that someone could sick that much in one winter," said Pablo.

"Poor little guy," I said. Since the kid has been sitting with us he's grown on me. He's pretty cool for an Ackie. I actually have someone to talk to about video games and technology with.

"I'll be back." Angie took her ID and wallet. She left.

When she was out of hearing distance I said, "What's with you guys!"

"What?" Sonia said, making it obvious that she knew what I meant.

"You know what I mean."

Molly said, "Dude, you have to stop fighting your feelings."

Pablo added, "Yeah man, just ask her out already. _No esperas mas."_

"You know I can't speak Spanish."

"Don't wait any more."

"Even if I could. What could I invite her to?"

Pablo said, "Why not just take her to a movie?"

"Well that's really original." My sarcasm mode was on. It turns on every time I really don't want to get talked into something I don't want to do or when I'm trying to be funny.

"You could send her a crush box," Molly said as she pointed at the stand behind me.

"Sure. Sending a box would certainly break the ice." I really wanted them off my case. Why should they be trying to hook me up when it's obvious that I just want to forget this silly crush? If it's still that. Gah! Stupid emotions!

"That's perfect!" We all looked at Sonia. Her eyes started to gleam with excitement. She had a great grin on her face that made my face hurt just looking at her. She literally jumped out of her seat because of whatever idea that just popped into her mind. "Send her a crush box with a message that said it's from her secret admirer and that tells her to go to a theater for a date."

"Oh sure. A secret admirer note. That's not old at all."

"A girl like Angie has to like the classics."

"Like Frankenstein?"

She looked mad at me then. "You're so smart. You think of something!"

"Sure. How about leaving me alone and let this little schoolboy crush go away."

Pablo said, "Dude. You've had this crush for months. I don't think it's much of a crush anymore."

"Well I'm sure that I don't love her like that. And anyway, this is my first crush. So it stands to reason that the first crush takes longer to get over. I'm sure that sooner or later another girl is going to catch my eye." Just hope it won't be Molly or Sonia.

Molly squinted her eyes. "This is your first crush?"

"I never really thought about girls in that way before."

"Those video games seriously did some damage." Pablo stated. I gave him a glare.

Sonia, still determined to get me to go on a date with Angie, grabbed my arm and started pulling/dragging me to the stand where students were selling the crush boxes.

"Sonia." I whined.

"Benjamin! You can't keep this up the rest of the year." We stopped then, halfway there.

"Sure I can. Just like I have the past few months."

"Ben! This is your first real crush. Make it count. The least you could do is try. Make it easier to ask out a girl out later. That's why I want you to do this."

"So that I could humiliated even more so the other times."

"Benjamin! You know Angie better than that. Even if she didn't like you that way she wouldn't make a scene of it."

I sighed. I thought of the many fantasies I've had of her. Not all of them clean by the way. I'm a sick boy, I know. But I always got the pictures out of my head before they went out of control. For goodness sakes, I can't even ask the girl out to a simple date. And here I am picturing our life together. I don't know whether to call me a romantic or a boy gone completely insane.

She's a nice girl. Smart, pretty, fun, a good listener, sweet and caring. I just don't think that I could amount to her standards. Whatever those could possibly be. What kind of a guy would she be looking for anyway? More than likely, not guys like me.

"You can't keep this bottled up inside you. It's not healthy."

"Do you guys really think I can do this?" I asked knowing what I was about to do but… very reluctantly was I going to.

She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. "We believe in you Ben."

I sighed. She was right. As much as I hate to admit it. It wouldn't totally kill me if I asked her out. If anything, we might get closer as friends. There's really nothing wrong with asking a girl out on a date in high school. This kind of thing happens every day. No biggie, right? Right. This is totally normal.

"All right. I'll do it."

"You won't back out?"

"Nope."

She looked at me with scrunched up eyes.

"I'm serious…"

"Okay. But I'll be watching you."

She went back to the table with the others. I bought the box, signed a sheet, wrote down the message and left. I wrote it with my left hand so that it wouldn't be easily recognized.


	19. Chapter 19

Angie's POV

At first, I didn't understand why the box was sent to me. Then I did a little thinking. Daniel never mentioned a Valentine's date and Caleb didn't mention anything either. Could they have snuck into the school using Caleb's speed? Knowing Daniel, that's probably what, was going on.

So I told my mom that Caleb had invited me to the movies. She said to be back by ten. Annie got us there in no time. Quickly, I changed back and walked into the theater. The note said to meet at the right column near the entrance. I walked to it. I walked around it but I couldn't find him.

"_Must be waiting for the right timing to show himself."_

"_Sounds like him. Like to add some sort of pizzazz."_

I sensed that someone was coming from behind me. I smiled thinking it was Daniel. I waited for him to speak; let him have some fun. I closed my eyes.

"Angie?"

I said to myself, "Huh?" I opened my eyes and span myself around on my heals. I found the person that I sensed: Ben.

"Ben? What are you doing here?"

"I asked you to come here?"

"What? Wait." I put my hand to my face as I faced down. I stuck out my hip before looking back at Ben. "You sent the Crush Box?"

"Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck while smiling nervously.

"_Oh no."_

"_I knew it."_

"_Please don't gloat."_

"Listen, I know that I'm not the kind of person that you would be hoping for but if you'd give me chance maybe we could become more than friends. I-I honestly don't know how to talk you into this."

I looked at him in disbelief. I couldn't believe that I didn't think of Ben. No wonder he was acting weird. How could I have been so stupid? I really regretted not telling everyone that I was seeing someone at that moment. Could've saved us from a broken heart, at least. I felt bad for Ben. There he was, on his first date and accidentally asked out another guy's girl. My face felt hot and I felt dizzy. The next thing I knew, I was in Ben's arms. I was breathing fast.

"Is dating me really a nightmare to you?"

"It's not-"

"Angie!" Oh, man.

I was scared to look. I had a feeling that Daniel had his own conclusion already made.

"Hey Daniel?"

"Daniel? Who's Daniel?" I looked at Ben with an apologetic look. I felt Daniel walk closer.

"Her boyfriend is who!" He took my arm and pulled me into him. I leaned into him. He brought his hand to my chin and forced me to look at him.

"What?" Ben asked, almost like a whisper to himself. I could just imagine the hurt in his eyes. I turned me head giving him a side look.

"Ben I-"

"Why didn't you mention that you had a boyfriend?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well _I _for one am VERY surprised!"

I pulled away from Daniel and walked towards Ben. I could see the tears in his eyes. I felt a terrible pain in my heart. The weight of the built up guilt took its toll and my knees grew weak.

I choked out, "I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

"I should've known that someone else had you already." He wiped a tear from his eye.

"Ben, please I-"

"No, I-I'd better go." With that, he walked out of the theater. I stood there like an idiot trying to contemplate about what had just happened. For some reason, I had a hard time trying to grasp the past events. It was almost as if I was trying to forget what had just happened. I had broken a heart when I had not had a broken heart myself at all. What was wrong with me? What had I done? This wasn't like me. I don't break hearts. But it sure looks like I _can_ break them.

"Okay. Would you please tell me what's going on?" It sounded more like a command rather than a question. "Angie?" He took my arm again and brought me into him. I didn't look at his face. I was scared. I looked at his shoulder. Tears were starting to stream down my cheeks. He looked around. I didn't have to; I knew that people were staring at us. Who wouldn't stop to look at teen drama? That dazzling performance should have brought in a great big crowd. And we weren't even getting paid for more people coming into the theater. He took my hand and pulled me out of there. He took me to a nearby Starbucks.

He asked, "Frap?" I nodded. He pulled me to a table and I sat down. Other than the cushion the whole chair was made of a light, shiny, green metal. The top of the table was made of some kind of rock. Don't kill me. Remember, I study animals not rocks. I sat there hoping and praying that this wasn't going to be place where he would end our relationship. I wouldn't be able to take it. _I _wouldn't be the same if this was it. And it was my entire fault. If only I had known better!

"_Chill girl. Daniel's a cool dude. He'll hear you out."_

"_I just don't want my stupid action to cost me the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."_

"_It'll be okay. I'm sure Caleb's talking to him right now. Telling him to get all the facts before backing out."_

"_Yeah, Caleb's been good to me so far. He'll help me out."_

"_As long as you don't steal him from me, I'm fine."_

"_That would never work."_

"_Just emphasizing."_

"_Whatever you say Annie."_

"Okay," Daniel said as he placed the mocha frap in front of me, "What the heck were you thinking?" I took a sip of my frap and told him everything. He listened attentively and even nodded a few times. I took a few sips during my explanation. The coolness of it helped me to calm down. When I was done, he asked, "So you thought, I snuck into your school just to get you to meet me for a movie?" I looked at him all scrunched up. "Smart girl." He took a sip of his frap. I sighed and sat up again.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Are you… going to break us up?"

"No. You didn't know that it wasn't really me you were meeting. It's understandable."

"R-really?" I looked at him curiously.

"Yeah."

"Oh," I sighed.

"However." Ah man. I was sure that I was home free for sure. "How did you get into his arms?"

"I-I was so in shock that I-I-I lost my balance and he caught me." He looked at me with a cocked eyebrow. I challenged him with, "Would I really go into another's arms on purpose?"

"Nooooo. But better safe than sorry." Well, my relationship was saved. I just wished that I could've said the same thing for my friendship with Ben. Hopefully, he wasn't too distraught by the fact that he asked out someone else's girlfriend. That's just humiliating.

"Oh, Ben."

"Give him some time. He'll come to grasp."

"I know. I just wish there was some way I could make it up to him."

"Well, it's not like you could find him a girlfriend." I perked up at those words. What if I _did _find him a girlfriend? Daniel noticed my sudden reaction. "Oh no no no no. Angie, I was joking."

"Even so. That just might be what I need to do."

"You know, I think a simple apology and some ice cream would do the trick just as effectively."

"I don't want average fixes."

"Who are you?" I took a sip of my icy beverage.

"Your girlfriend on a mission." He sat back in his seat looking limp with his head facing up being balanced by the back of his seat.

"Dude, I think I just lost my girl."

"I'm fine. I just have to play matchmaker for a little bit is all."

"I don't know Angie. It seems a little extreme. A little out of your character."

"It's a little something called high school."

"This is scaring me more and more." We both took long sips.

"Chill." A thought came to me. "Hey, how come you were at the theater?"

"I was there as support for a friend of mine. Gave him some dating advice, a few basics on the first date. The works really. He just asked out the girl he's been crushing on for months."

"Oh." I took a quiet sip.

"Sorry. We were so caught up into this we forgot."

"It's okay. We don't expect you guys to remember everything." He smiled. I only wished that I could see a smile on Ben's face.


	20. Chapter 20

Ben's POV

_Okay, calm down. You knew that something like this could happen. Well, the part where she might not want to go out with you_, I told myself. Great. Now I've resulted in talking to myself. This thing with Angie has really done some serious damage.

I lied in bed listening iPod on full volume listening to who knows what. I didn't even know because I didn't care. As long as I was distracted from my pain I never thought about what I heard. I'd have to say that worst of my pain was gone. Just need to pick up the remaining pieces. That just might be easier said than done. It was a week after half of my heart was shattered. I say half because half of my heart was reserved to video games. That half has been strong and was helping me put the other half back together again. That half has also given me some eternal strength.

This past week, for me, was lonesome. At home, I slacked on my chores more often. I didn't watch my siblings. I locked myself in my room as soon as I got home. I didn't come down for dinner. My parents brought it up to me instead. Both Ma and Pa tried to get me to talk. I wouldn't. Since my siblings could care less they hardly knew that I was missing in action.

At school, I was quiet. I didn't raise my hand up to be called on anymore. I avoided talking to any of my classmates and the teachers. I didn't want to talk. At lunchtime, I'd keep myself in the library. At first, I as careful to make sure that the others didn't see me in there. But then, I guess I wanted them to find me, to say that they felt sorry for me. Perhaps that would make me feel better. One by one, they came and tried to get me to talk. I guess Angie hadn't told them that she was seeing someone because they wondered why our little 'date' was a total fail. Yes, they all came, all but one: Angie. To admit the truth, it hurt that Angie hadn't tried to talk to me since that day. I groaned. Why did life have to have drama anyway? Puberty was bad enough. My sheets don't get wet anymore, thank the lord but…

I never missed being a young kid more than I did at that moment. At that point in our lives you have no worries, no responsibilities. You could believe that the world was perfect, that life was never suddenly ended. You could believe that you could be whatever you wanted to be just because you wanted to be that. When you're at that stage no will dare try to bring you down because if they burst your bubble no one would want to dream or grow up to be somebody.

_Ben, the two of us need look no more  
We both found what we were looking for_

"Huh?" There was knocking at the door.

"Ben. It's me let me in."

"Angie?"

"Yeah, please let me in. I've been really worried about you." _Sure you have._ _You haven't shown me your face for a week. _I thought bitterly.

I walked to the door. "Are you alone?"

"Yes. Come on. We need to talk."

I opened the door without a second thought. "What?"

"I-I'm sorry Ben, that you had to go through that humiliation. I didn't know."

"Obviously." I looked at her a bit mad but her little face just wouldn't let me keep a glare. Then something occurred to me. "Wait, was that you singing earlier."

"Yeah, I figured it would be more personal that way instead of having a boom box over my head and waiting for you to open your window." I laughed silently. Angie gave me a weak smile. "Am I forgiven?" She gave me these huge eyes that only a little girl could give; her face in an innocent pout that I just couldn't resist and just gave in to her plea.

"I guess."

"Really?"

I sighed. "Yeah." I am such a push over. Or at least I am weak when it comes to her.

"Oh good because I don't think that you would go on a date when you're upset."

"Wha?"

"Clare?"

"Again. Wha?" She gestured at the door. A girl stepped in. Her skin, light, easily burned by the sun. Her eyes, a nice green, they almost resembled those of a cat. Her brown hair rolled down in soft curls. Her hair was parted from the right and her bangs came down sort of curved towards her face. A few freckles made themselves at home on each of her cheeks. She was beautiful and… familiar somehow.

"Ben. This is Clare. She's in your Japanese class." That's it. She sat on the other side of the class so I never really noticed she was there.

"Hi Benjamin." She smiled shyly at me. Didn't know why she would be shy. I sure enough am not intimidating.

"Hi. Nice to be properly introduced to you. I forgot that we were in the same class."

She shrugged. "It's fine. I just hope that you'll give me a shot."

"Huh?" I looked at her funny and then looked at Angie funny.

"Right. Um, I asked Clare to come because I thought that you might go on a date with her."

"Is this some kind of way to make that day up to me?"

"Yes. I mean I wanted to let you know that there _are _more fish in the sea and Clare seems like a good match for you."

"Because?"

"Clare, why don't you tell him?"

Clare nodded at her. "I love video games, I'm on the cross country team, am in love with Japanese culture and anime and manga, um, am on the internet when I'm not playing games, and I never go anywhere without my Poke Walkers, and find technology to be very interesting."

Amazing. To think she was there for the taking this whole year and I didn't see it. She was practically a girl form of me. What the heck was I thinking? Something is wrong with me. As plain as anything.

"There's also the whole thing of opposites attract." I turned my attention back to Angie. "She's a hard worker, never procrastinates, and has trouble hanging loose. I figured that you might show her how to have fun."

I looked at Clare. She was perfect. I looked at her and saw nothing but bliss. "I see your logic Angie. But from that description of her it might just be a challenge to teach her to have fun."

"Well, if you're anything like Daniel then there shouldn't be that much of a problem."

"Hmm…" I smiled at Clare. She smiled back.

"By the way, before I leave you two love birds. Promise you won't mention Daniel to any of the others?"

"Why?"

"I still want to see the looks on their faces when they meet him."

"Oh. Okay? I guess."

"Good." She smiled brightly. She looked at Clare. "Good luck." She looked at me, "Bye. You're welcome." She was gone in a flash.

"Now if only she would run like that in gym class," I joked. Clare laughed.

"Oh I don't know, I think she's cute enough to get along without speed."

"So, exactly for long can I keep you here?"

"About two hours."

Perfect.


	21. Chapter 21

Daniel's POV

"Ding dong." I said, imitating the doorbell. I was outside of Angie's house hoping that nothing happened to her. I tried calling her earlier but she wouldn't answer. In retrospect, I should've used the communicator too but in a fit of worrying I didn't think of it. I rushed towards her place right after I got home from a swim practice and told my mom I'd be with her. I swear that girl doesn't let me think straight.

"Hi Mrs. A. Is Angie home?"

"Yes. She's in her room sick in bed."

"Oh." I sighed in relief.

"Why so worried?" She looked at me and smirked rather than smile. She knew very well why but she was going to make me say it anyway.

"I tried calling but she wouldn't answer and I know just what can happen to her so I just worried."

"No one said that being the partner of a Protector would be easy. I just hope that she didn't make the wrong choice in telling you."

I looked down.

"You're not scared?"

I looked back up at her. "No. I can deal with a broken heart."

"Oh," she sounded weak and shaky, "I guess you don't know."

"Don't know what?"

She quickly changed the subject. "Please come in. I wouldn't want you to get sick too." I did but I didn't keep my eyes off her. If there was piece of the puzzle to this situation then I needed to know what it was. No matter what, good or bad, I had to know. I got into it unknowingly but since I knew what I got myself into I planned to make it count. "Let me take your coat and gloves." I took them off and handed them to her. She quickly shuffled towards the coat hanger across the room. "And please leave your shoes on that mat." She pointed towards a black square beside me. I took off my shoes quickly before she turned away.

"What don't I know?" I asked again.

She looked at me weak and sad. "I think you should ask Angie when she gets the strength to." Angie. She was the reason I was there in the first place and there I was trying to interrogate her own mother. Some boyfriend I turned out to be.

I ran to her room on the second floor. Trying to seem like my real self, I said, "Knock knock."

"Come in." Wow, she really sounded weak, scratchy. It was scary.

I opened the door to see her in bed tucked under her blanket. "Hey, there's my little _Angel of Music."_

"This Angel can't sing at the moment but you can still listen to some great voices here." I smiled and walked towards her. I sat beside her hip facing her.

"How ya feeling?"

"Uh, can't complain. After all I've got the voices of great male singers to keep me company." She smiled brightly. Right, Angie always had music play when she was sick because she appreciated it more. The notes and voices kept her company as she laid there. It was then that I heard some words.

_You're gone...  
You're gone..._

Somehow, Nsync didn't sound so great at that moment. I felt that one of the things I loved and she loved were mocking us.

"Is something wrong?" I looked at her face. I saw a look that I didn't want to see on her face. No matter what would happen she would smile in the end.

"Other than you being sick, nope." She looked at me funny. "C-can we just change the song?" She smiled, nodded and gave the command. I automatically heard the sound of Pop. Nsync came around back to my good side. "Thanks Ang." She took my hands in both of hers and sat up. Slowly, but sweetly, she kissed my cheek. You know, the kind of kiss that these two characters on TV, that you've been waiting forever to get together, share at the end of the night to show that they like each other but don't want to move too fast. In return, I kissed her forehead. She was burning! As a reaction, I took her face in my hands. Again, burning.

"Your hands are cold." They didn't feel cold after a few more seconds. An idea came to me.

"Umm can I… come closer?" She looked at me funny. "Just move over a bit."

"All righty then." She did and I sat beside her, facing the direction that she was facing. I lifted my arm up signaling her to come in a bit closer. "Uh, I'm not sure if…"

"I'll be fine. Besides it'll help you cool off a bit."

"But fevers actually help kill pathogens."

"And now I just learned a biology fact." She came into me.

"Sorry. I can't help it."

"Well, I guess you have to be this bad to stay home."

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Mom's always made a big deal about a cough or sniffle. Doesn't take much for her to offer me to stay home."

"Ah, so have you ever faked being sick."

"Once."

"So my angel isn't so good after all. Did you get caught?"

"Nope." She looked disappointed.

"But?"

"I-I felt guilty about lying to her."

"I take it back." She playfully smiled angrily at me. "I'm just saying."

"It's always been if I can't focus I can't go. Always it's about what's best for my health and education."

"Well they – scratch that – _she _needs to chill out. She pushes you too hard. You need to have fun."

"I have fun. I go out." She whined at me.

"With who besides me?" I smirked at her.

"Ben and the gang. My cousins, my family."

"Speaking of Ben. Can he and I be friends now?"

"Yeah. He's fine and cool. No worries about him anymore." I looked at her with an are-you-serious-look. "It's true. Last I heard, he and Clare hit it off."

"Soo… he's happy?"

"Very. I just wish I wasn't sick. Clare was supposed to join us for lunch today.

"Well, it's all good. I'm sure you'll see her Monday."

"This reminds me, grades report."

"I think I'm doing well. Just have to make up a few grades to at least barely get an A in all subjects."

"Math and Social Studies?"

"Yes." I sighed. "What about you?"

"I'm not ranking number one in each class but I'm getting all As."

"No surprise there."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She took her head out of my neck and looked at me astonished and upset. I realized that I might have sounded mean and sarcastic rather than I-knew-it attitude.

"Nothing, I didn't mean to offend you."

She sighed. "Sorry. I guess it does get tiresome of hearing the same thing over and over again."

"Thanks. I… guess I do get jealous of you sometimes."

"And it's not just the grades, is it?"

"No, it's basically your whole life." She took me in her arms. I never felt like cursing her for her perfect life. Just wished that I could have been that lucky. Don't get me wrong, I liked my life but there were a few details that would change had we had the same kind of life. She warmed me up. I knew that letting her go, if I had to, would be the hardest thing that I would ever have to do.

"Honey, Daniel. Oh." We pulled away.

"What's up Mom?" Trying to get to the point.

"S-sorry, I just wanted you to know that I'm going to pick up your grandma from the doctor's." She turned to me. With my head against the headboard I felt uncomfortable with the worried look she was giving me. It was like she was trying to get information out of me that I didn't know how to give to her. "Daniel, if you'd like, you can stay for dinner-"

"…But I can't stay the night. I kinda umm, got it."

"Good boy, now keep it that way."

"Wouldn't have it any other way ma'am." She smiled and giggled. She left.

"Glad to see that my mom likes you more and more."

"Now I just have to find some common ground with your old man."She dug her head into the side of my neck. I put my arm around her shoulder again and rested my head on hers. I felt some sweat starting to form.

"Mmm…" I stroked her hair with the arm I had around her.

"_Nice of you to sit with her."_

"_Well, there's not much I can do. She's sick."_

"_And I think she might be falling asleep."_

"_Let her. I don't need to be anywhere. As long as she's here, safe, I'm happy."_

"_For now."_

"_Do you really need to be on my case? Especially when there's something that I don't know about this situation."_

"_Sorry, I guess I'm just afraid."_

"_Of what? Last of I checked, nothing is going to keep you and Annie apart."_

"_Dealing with a heartbroken boy. You're my best friend. It would really hurt me to see you in a seriously sad state."_

"_Must you be so straight-forward?"_

"_Hey, I'm just making it easier on you."_

"_I'll be fine. I doubt that it'll happen though."_

"_What makes you so sure?"_

"_Because something like this, like us, just can't be taken away."_

"_We're talking about Gods you know."_

"_I don't think they would be cruel to Angie. She's been a good Protector."_

"_But she didn't keep the secret." _I heard the song change. I recognized the piano work of _Happily Never After._ At that moment, I yet again felt betrayed by music. But then I let go because the story of two people not working out and the girl leaving didn't apply to us. We didn't get into fights. We just got into small arguments but it's not an attack or anything. I planned to not leave her unless she told me to.

"_We're all fine aren't we?"_

"_That's only because the Dark Soldier won't show any signs of her existence."_

"_Hey she did take on Eggman."_

"_I doubt that means much to them. They care about her stopping the Dark Soldier."_

"_Still, he wants her gone."_

"_No, he wants Annie gone"_

"_If Annie goes, so does she."_

"_Then that's just a bonus to him."_

"_Why are you doing this?"_

"_Because I want to know what's going on in your head. You know we don't always hear what the other is thinking or know what the other is doing."_

"_I know I know."_

Then, I heard the doorbell ring. I wondered who that could be. Her dad was never home this early. Her sister always stayed at a friend's house after school. Must have been other family members or neighbors. But Mrs. A didn't tell me that they were expecting any company. So that left me to believe that people were making a surprise visit or something.

I knew I couldn't just sit there, especially after I heard voices calling Angie's name. At that point, I only knew two things: there was a group of boys and girls outside and that they knew Angie. That last thing was good enough for me to get up and open the door. I found Ben with three girls and two other guys. They looked at me funny, probably wondering who I was. Looking up at Ben I realized who they were.

"Hey, I'm Daniel; you guys gotta be Pablo, Eric, Ben, Sonia, Molly and Clare."

"Who _are _you?" I looked at Sonia. I was sure that was who she was. I was going based on the descriptions that Angie gave of them.

"Again that name's Daniel. Sorry, am I going too fast for ya?" I smirked. I notice Eric looking at me questionably; guess he didn't think that Angie's boyfriend could joke around. Yeah, Angie told me that part too. Still didn't understand why she told a twelve-year-old boy.

Eric said, "Umm, how's Angie?"

"Fine. You guys can come in I guess but real quiet like."

"She's asleep huh?"

"Yup. Please leave your shoes on that mat." I pointed to the mat as we walked in. I stood by the coat hanger until Sonia came to it, followed soon by the others. Sonia looked at me as if I was some kind of criminal. I stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for them to file in. I lead them to her room but just a foot away I let out my arm to the side to signal them to stop. I turned around and whispered, "Hang on a bit, 'till I call you in." They all nodded.

Angie was awake again after I opened the door. "What's going on?"

"You're friends came to visit." She looked at me in an excited-funny way. I smiled and walked in with them not too far behind me.

"Aww, hey you guys." They each gave her a hug. "I take it you all know who Daniel is now, huh?" She looked kind of disappointed. I had feeling why.

"Not entirely."

Molly asked, "What do you mean?"

"I, am, Angie's boyfriend." Only Molly, Pablo and Sonia gave me a funny look. Their mouths slightly opened. There large eyes looked like something out of an anime. Their hair kinda stood out in the wrong places. Ben, Eric and Clare just stood there. Eric still looked questionably at me.

Angie let out the tiniest chuckle. I chuckled a bit myself. "You were right Angie, this secret was worth keeping."

"So you had a boyfriend this whole time?"

"If you mean since last summer, then yes. That's why I couldn't date Ben."

"But why didn't you tell us?" Sonia whined.

"Simple, I just wanted to see your faces when I would introduce you guys to him. 'Course, I thought it would be at a party or something, not when I was taking a sick day. It's just that I knew it would be hard to believe that someone like me could have a boyfriend, you know?"

"Who are you and what have done with our little Angie?" We all laughed. These guys stayed for dinner. We all ate with Angie's parents. Mrs. A preferred that for some reason. We all left together.

When I neared my home, I heard yelling from the kitchen. It sounded like Luis and Mom. I ran into the house trying to keep quite. I knew well enough to know that if they knew one of her boys was coming then everything would be dropped. I was prepared to use it to my advantage, make them feel a bit guilty get them to try harder at dealing with whatever stress they were in. I quickly put on my little-boy act. "Mom, what's going on?" I went in; mom was at the cutting board while Luis was stirring something.

"Nothing Daniel. How's Angie?"

"Fine." Wasn't sure if I could've said the same for our family. I knew I heard angry yelling coming from the kitchen. If they thought they could fool me they were dead wrong. If I knew that Mom and Dad were having problems when I was seven then this would be cake. But I acted clueless. Let them feel guiltless for awhile. They had enough to worry about, no use in adding teen drama to the mix. Besides, one fight didn't mean that he was going to walk out on us.


	22. Chapter 22

Daniel's POV

Okay, so it looked like he wasn't going to leave us, unfortunately, it looked like he was drinking, A LOT. At first, it was normal drinking patterns for men, you know, a night out with the guys, a few drinks, is all. The thing was, it seemed like a regular thing rather than something like once every month or something. Sure, they go out every week but he never went with them each time. Then, he started to over-do it. Came home struggling to get to the door. It happened around the time when Mom started having dinner with her co-workers and with her boss' family hoping to get a promotion. She hoped that this wouldn't be permanent. Well, she wasn't the one who brought him inside with a pair of woman's underwear around his neck. His so-called buddies left him in the yard. I threw them away but knowing that he was hooking up with a hooker or something was happening, left me well, feeling bad for my mom. I didn't say anything because eventually Mom would catch on. She did about a month ago.

That was when the fighting really started to become apparent. My bro didn't become affected. He usually missed dinner anyway, which used to mean that we'd get to talk and tell stories. Luis was good with myths mostly, but as of late, I've been the one doing the most of the talking. The dinner table kind of became a hostile place. Mom and Luis avoided talking at the table. But once I would leave, they would start arguing then yell then come into a full out war. And then just when one of them leaves the other follows still trying to win the fight. I was able hear them move from room to room. It scared me but not enough for me to hide like a little kid. No, I've been down this road before. No need to be scared, unless they start to destroy the house bit by bits. I honestly just wanted one thing from Luis: an explanation. Everything was as it was before Mom and I made our trip to Grandma's. I think she returned even stronger.

So there I was, in my room with my iPod on full volume. It had been five months since we got back. And three months since Luis started acted strange. They were at it again. I learned to sleep after they let out there anger. As of late, Luis was sleeping on the couch in the basement, wanting to be as far away from Mom as possible. Sure, it was Saturday but a growing boy needs his sleep. Actually, lately I didn't really like growing as much as I did when I was a kid. Kinda wanted to stop growing. Angie seemed to have. She reached my shoulder but if I kept growing it could be a little harder to bend down to just kiss her. Sometimes I'd wonder if I still would feel needed by her when we were little if she was normal size.

"_Dude, don't ya think that they're a little too loud?"_

"_Nah, they'll tire themselves out soon?"_

"_They're not five-year olds; they're full grown adults who are a married couple."_

"_Same thing. Mind asking something else?"_

"_Okay, what happened to your biological father?"_

My… biological father. Suddenly, the sound of _Let the Music Hear Your Soul _didn't make me feel much better about that question.

_Let the music heal your soul  
Let the music take control  
Let the music give you the power to  
Move any mountain_

He wasn't the best father but there was a chance that he was one of the worst. I hadn't seen him in six years. Hasn't been long enough for me to forget about him. That man still haunted me in my nightmares. Even Angie wouldn't keep the nightmares away well, at least when I didn't stay with her. He actually left right before I met Angie. I thought that she was the good thing that came out of this. She was and I was happy, that is, until I was alone in my dreams. After what he did to us, he didn't deserve to see his sons. Even if he did come back he wouldn't get me to talk to him. Forgetting about him was near impossible but forgiving him well, that would never happen. There was too much to see passed.

"_He's… in jail." _

"_Should I ask why?"_

"_I don't think I can relive my past. Even Angie doesn't know why."_

"_Ah, so the girlfriend has to know before anyone else?"_

"_Not necessarily. My whole family knows what went down."_

"_I don't think that counts."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because, they're related to you. They could come by at anytime and see that something's up."_

"_Okay then, girlfriend before friends."_

"_Speaking of the girlfriend in question. When's she coming for dinner?"_

"_As of now, never."_

"_Oh, come on. Maybe her here can get these guys to bury the hatchet."_

"_I don't know. They're really getting hostile and I don't want to bring her into my world."_

"_Is that all?"_

"_Well, Mom will try to bond with her leaving me with Luis and I really don't want to talk with him."_

"_And…"_

"_I don't know, they won't leave us alone the whole night. My bro might want to take her to bed once he knew she was coming."_

"_Did something happen to him?"_

"_He's perverted and he's been trying to get back at me for always being the golden child. Sounds like something he'd try to pull."_

"_We're still talking about your younger brother, right?"_

"_You know that Keith was shot two years ago."_

"_Still, something is seriously wrong with that boy. It makes me ill."_

"_Yeah, well, when we move to Mobius you can invite Annie over for dinner as much as your heart desires."_

"_Which reminds me, when should we tell them?"_

"_When we get there. I like the idea of surprising them on their new front door. Well, technically, you and Annie will see each other while Angie and I hide ourselves from the world."_

"_Right, this time you two will be the secret."_

"_Don't let it go to your head."_

CRASH! Sounded ceramic against a hard surface too. Great, just when I thought I would get some sleep that night. I sighed, walked passed my brother who was sleeping like a baby and went out the door. I prepared my little-boy act. I rubbed my eyes pretending to wake up from some sleep and walked in.

"Mommy, wha –"I wished that I was my younger brother for a split second. There was a knife near my mother's head. My step-dad was on top of her with the knife in his hand. He was in nothing but his black boxers. From the looks of it, my mom's night gown had gone up closer to her unmentionables. I stood there staring in horror. Mom looked guilty while Luis looked agitated. He must've been drunk that night because otherwise he wouldn't have acted so cruel to my mother.

I felt my eye twitch. Then, I was gone. I ran. Away from my home. Away from my helpless mother. Away from my oblivious brother. Away from my angel gone devil step-dad. Away from that scared little kid still in the doorway. Or, at least, I tried.

"_Daniel, Daniel! Man, please talk to me."_

I couldn't. I couldn't think either. I was actually surprised that I was still conscious at that moment. My brain was at a halt. It didn't control my body anymore. So, my feet were on their own. Amazingly, they knew where to go at times like these. I wouldn't have opened up to anyone but her at the time.

Down in the sanctuary, I made it towards her room. I stood at the door knowing that I was going to explain myself and then break down. These type of things brought me to my lowest of lows. You'd think that my experiences would make me stronger but the truth was, I was just making myself weaker by keeping it in. Letting it all out would help me get the strength I needed. I was about to open her door when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I gasped and turned quickly around on my heals.

"Whoa, buddy it's okay. Just me"

"Oh," I sighed in relief once I realized it was only Sonic. "You heard me huh?"

"Yup. What are you doing here anyway?" I looked down. I didn't see his reaction, nor did he say anything for a while. "Family trouble?" I snapped my head back up.

"How did…"

"You got real quite when your grandma was leaving. Figured it was a you thing to family issues."

"I guess."

"Well, since I'm up why don't we talk about it?"

"I don't know Sonic. I feel like I really need her."

"That bad huh?"

"Worse. My life is as good as gone at this rate."

"Well, no matter what happens, you'll still have us."

"Even when Annie and Caleb are not a part of us anymore?"

"Even then."

"Thanks Sonic." I smiled at him. He grinned, which meant he was going to say something on the teasing side.

"Just don't keep yourselves up all night."

"Do we ever disappoint?" He ruffled my hair before heading back to bed.

I switched on the light but Angie wasn't in bed. I ran to the foot of her bed, worried. "Angie?"

"In here." I heard her voice coming from her bathroom. "Give me a second." I waited. When she came out, she let out the tiniest yawn. For a moment, I just wanted to kiss her. Make this memory that's been glued to my head go away. The sight of my parents still held its ground. I wanted her to help bring it down.

"Angie." She still looked sleepy.

"I had a feeling that I would be up for a bit so I brushed my teeth. You know I hate that taste in my mouth." She rubbed her eyes. And walked towards me. She placed her hands on both of my shoulders and sat me down. "What happened?"

I told her the whole the scene so fast that I couldn't even hear the words that I was saying. I felt like an idiot when she looked at me confused. I tried to tell her a little more slowly but I couldn't get the words out. This kind of scene hit a little closer to home. To my past. I hated my life. My leg started to hop up and down. The next thing I knew, I tasted something minty caressing my lips. I knew that she was doing this to calm me down. Well, it did the trick. I couldn't even remember why I was there.

She pulled away from me. "I know that it must be traumatizing to see that but try to get it out of your head. It'll be hard but please try." Wow. I honestly didn't think that she comprehended what I said. But I was glad that she knew what was up.

"I think that there's just one thing that'll help me forget."

"All right, but I still need my sleep and so do you. Honestly, have you been sleeping at all?"

"Well I haven't quite had eight hours each night."

"It's showing. How long have you been living like this?"

"Couple months."

"Daniel!"

"What? I can't just move in with you. I can't leave my mom there with no one to keep the fights to a minimum." She looked at me funny. Right I never told her about my act. That and she hadn't seen me in a little more than two months. I thought that this would blow over and everything would be okay again but it didn't. She never knew until now about their fights. "Knowing that I'm there is enough for them to stop."

"But not completely let it die." I looked down at my hands which were folded in my lap. She was right. I wasn't enough to get them to completely get along but then again I wasn't sure if they were trying to stop at all. I felt her get closer. She bent her head down and brought her lips to mine. I didn't think, I just felt. I had no idea what happened after our lips met until Angie pulled away. "Daniel!" We were breathing hard. I looked at her and she looked scared. I wondered why. She must have seen my confusion because she said, "I think that this has made your control weak. Look where you are."

"_My control?"_

"_Take a good look at where you two are."_

I didn't get it. But when I looked at Angie I saw her head on the bed which told me that she was lying down. With me looking down on her, I figured out that I was on top of her. It was almost just like the same scene that I saw earlier that night. I jumped off and sat on the floor, panicking; facing away from her. What was happening to me?

"_It's okay, I think. Angie's not going to break up with you for this, I hope"_

"_Not helping!" _I told him angrily.

"_Sorry. Okay, you lost it a bit but you got out of it. No one was hurt and Angie won't just kick you out. She's not that kind of person."_

I hated to admit it, but he was right. But now that I was part of that scene it made me scared to kiss her again. I thought about my mom. She would have a harder time to snap him out of it, especially in his state.

"It's okay Daniel you just weren't thinking is all. No one said that your desires would be easy to control." She sat down next to me on the floor.

"I wasn't after sex Angie. I just wanted to forget what I saw."

"Then that was your desire. You let go too much."

Desire. What was his desire for scaring my mom? Or was his desire sex? But he could have that sober couldn't he? It's not like you need to be drunk to make love. I couldn't figure him out. I hadn't paid much attention to them. I wondered what could be happening at that moment back home. Aw man. _Stupid._ What the heck was I thinking? Leaving them alone with my brother knocked out cold. With me gone he could do whatever he'd want. I got up and was about to bolt through the door when Angie pulled me back with her hand. I looked back at her.

"What now?" I didn't notice the angry tone she was using.

"I have to go back. I'm not going to let him hurt my mom anymore even if it means that I'll have to go through some scarring." I told her.

"Then I'm coming with you."

"What?"

"Sure. I can't use my staff but I can at least rough him up a bit. He is only human."

I didn't disagree with her. I just wanted to get out of there to make sure that he couldn't do anymore damage.


	23. Chapter 23

**Not exactly the most climatic but at least it's something to add.**

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Daniel's POV

Outside, in the front yard of the house, I noticed the living room lights were on. I grasped Angie's hand tighter. We ran inside.

"Mom. Mom? Mom!" She was on the couch in a blue bathrobe.

"Daniel honey." She came over to me and hugged me hurriedly.

"Mom, are you okay?" I let go of Angie's hand and hugged her back.

"Fine. You snapped him out of it."

"For now." I muttered under my breath. A thought occurred to me. "Where is he?"

"Here." We let go of each other. "And I see you brought a guest." He looked at Angie up and down. I held out my arm in front of her. I didn't like the way he looked at her. It made me feel like he was going to hurt her. I felt like a growl was making its way out of my throat but it never did. "Calm down. Nothing is going to happen."

"Somehow I just don't see it." I stared him down.

"I'm not your father."

"My dad never put a knife next to my mother's head."

"I was under the influence of alcohol. I'm passed it."

"Why were you on it in the first place?" He owed us at least that.

"I… was jealous."

"Of what?"

"You and your brothers or now you and Jim."

"Huh?" I looked at him funny.

"Always. It's always about you two with you mother. I get it. Your dad left, you guys felt abandon. Your mom has the right to be concerned about her children."

"So we get a lot of attention. So what?" I was too consumed in my own anger that I couldn't even figure it out on my own.

"I figured I could break your mom of that. When your grandma died I felt forgotten. It was like I didn't exist."

"So you thought that you could fill the void with the devil's work?" It made sense that he felt lonely but drinking wasn't the answer to his problem.

"Like you never had a drink."

"What?" Aw man. I knew that I was going to have to tell her eventually but I was hoping to do it on my own. Then again, given the circumstances it wasn't my fault. So, it really wasn't shameful. I was just a victim in that crazy plan.

"Luis I told you not to say anything."

"I-it slipped. I really am sorry Daniel."

"It's okay. Probably would've let it slipped sooner or later myself."

"Then start explaining." I sighed before turning to her. She had her arms crossed over her chest.

"It was a few years ago. I was eleven, at my cousin's wedding. I made a crack to get back at my cousins for making fun of, what they called, my completely-pathetic-school-boy crush."

"Me?" She looked empathetic. We both have gone through some teasing.

"Yeah I was the laughable guy who couldn't get a date with the-er someone like you." I hoped she didn't catch my turn of words.

"Someone like me?"

"They defined you as nerdy, gullible, lifeless, easy to scare, easily humiliated, teacher's pet…" I saw tears in her eyes. I didn't dare continue.

"I'm fine. Go on."

"So to get back at me they gave me beer telling me it was some new soda and I was stupid enough to drink it. I was gone after a few more cups full. I nearly caused a fire."

"I see. No one got hurt?" She asked.

"No." I saw her sigh in relief. "And I will never touch a drink again. The next day I was scared silly when I remembered what happened."

"Is there anything else that you haven't mentioned?"

I thought about it. "Yes."

"But?"

"I don't feel comfortable telling you when we're not alone and I don't think that the words will come out." There was just one thing that I didn't tell her. Even Caleb didn't know. I wasn't sure if I could relive the greatest nightmare that happened to me. I knew I could trust her but I wasn't ready to choke it out. Then if I'm not to be hers it would be a secret that I didn't have to tell her. As my girlfriend _she _should at least know but the timing wasn't right.

"So are we cool?" Luis asked.

"Hmm." I got out of my thoughts. "Oh, umm." I turned around to face him. He was looking at me with a worried look that I never saw before. Well it was nice to know that he could feel concern. I didn't feel angry anymore. "Gee I don't know, Angie still might be in the mood of roughin' you up a bit."

"Sweet little Angie?" Mother seemed disturbed. I didn't blame her. She knew Angie for as long as I have. Angie seemed like a sweet, timid and fragile little thing. You wouldn't think to look for a violent bone in her body. It was ludicrous; the greatest practical joke was a vicious Angie. Just wasn't real: illogical.

"I'm quite the fighter."

"Since when?" Mom still looked disturbed.

"A while"

"Why?"

"Defensive purposes. I'm actually gifted."

"Ah."

I came in with, "Yup. Tough but sweet." I took her hand and we smiled at each other.

"You really want me to be afraid of a girl in her PJs." Luis laughed.

"You have no idea." I said. If only they knew.

"Do you need a demonstration?" Angie smirked at him. I never saw Angie speak with that much confidence when it didn't have anything to do with animals. I didn't know if I should've classified it as a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, she's coming out of her little safety shell and standing up for herself. On the other hand, showing off her skill without a real purpose made her seem kind of scary. Didn't seem like my Angie.

"Tell you what, if you can knock me down you can have Daniel for as long as you want every night for a month."

"Tempting. And if I can't?"

"You come out with us for dinner tomorrow." Which won't happen. Unless she'd rather have dinner with my parents.

"It's a deal. And you know you could just ask."

He smiled and shrugged. She smirked and cocked her eyebrow. She let go of my hand and walked towards him. He looked at her with his arms crossed. With one smooth motion she swiped his leg, knocking him down with a thud.

"Sorry sir but if it makes you feel better I'd love to come out to dinner with you all." I was afraid she'd say that.

"Oh that would be wonderful. We've been trying to get Daniel to invite to dinner with us for a while." And there went my mom.

"Why hasn't he?" She looked at my with a raise eyebrow. Oh, boy.

"Oh well you know how boys can be."

"I suppose." She still looked at me kind of angry.

"_Help."_

"_You're on your own on this one."_

"_Thanks a lot, man."_

"_No problem."_


	24. Chapter 24

**Can't help but notice that you guys have been quiet. It's kind of scary. But then, when is the sequel ever better than the original, I guess. But please don't give me the quiet treatment. If there's something that you're not seeing that you'd like for me to incorporate back into my writing let me know. I don't bite.**

**Oh and this story is almost over and then I'll work on my little Winter Break special. Hope you guys like learning. A lot of stuff about the Protectors should pop up in that story. Well, I've probably already taken up a lot of time that you could've spent reading this so I'll stop and let you all enjoy.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Angie's POV

The last day of school. Not really a day, more like an hour or so just to get my final report card. Mom and I were in a line with other parents and students. More students than parents. Knowing that in a few hours I'll be at a BSB concert with Daniel, Sonic, Amy, Tails and Cream made it easier for me to get through the boring wait.

Then, I heard the intercom about to be used. I expected to hear the voice of our Principal but from the sound of the voice that was being cleared to speak didn't sound like it was a woman who was about to speak. Something wasn't right. I knew our principal well enough to know that she would be here saying to every new batch that she was going to miss us students and wish us a good summer. The end of the school year brings out a few tears from her. At first I didn't believe it but through all the assemblies I had to believe it.

"Hello students." My brain shut off, my stomach and heart sank. My breathing increased. One of my greatest nightmares came true. I was hoping that he wouldn't try anything here but what did I expect? He wanted us gone. Eggman was here. "I am the notorious Dr. Eggman and I believe that one of you happens to be associated with Sonic the Hedgehog." I heard chattering from the students and parents asking questions and possibly trying to figure out who he was talking about. They looked scared and about to run in a panic. "I'm sorry to inform to you all that until she comes forward you all will be forced to stay in this building."

That set them off. While everyone left for the nearest exit I broke in to a sprint. It took a few seconds before robots started coming down the stairs. I took a glance at one coming down from the corridor. It looked like a giant with lights for eyes and claws for hands. Ahead of me, I saw a bot change his claw into something else. I realized that it saw me when it changed its position to face me. I saw a puddle right in front of it. It aimed whatever its claw was at me. I ducked under whatever was supposed to come out of its arm and used the water to help me slide under the robot's legs.

I looked back only once. The robot seemed to be examining where I just was. I slowed down as few students and parents were under nets. The robots gathered them by reeling the innocent people closer to them and then picking them up. I saw the terrified faces and knew that this was because of me.

"_Girl. Focus, we need to get to that office."_

"_Don't you mean me?"_

"_What?"_

"_I'm doing this on my own. He asked to see me so he's going to get me."_

"_You sure?"_

"_Yeah. Promise me that unless it's a life or death situation don't help."_

"_You mean like last time?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_All right, I promise."_

I made it to the Principal's office. But before I could go in, I sensed something was behind me. When I turned around I saw one of the robots holding out its claws as if he was about to give me a hug. It grabbed me around my waist and took me into the room. I knew it was taking me to Eggman so I didn't struggle. It was taking me right where I wanted to go. Egghead had no idea who he was dealing with. As it held me, anger started to really boil up inside of me. It grew with every step the robot took. How dare he come to my school and put so many people in danger? The entire school didn't have to be turned into a giant hostage just to get my attention.

I kept my head down. I didn't want my anger to overpower me if I saw even the slightest hint of him too soon. It stopped. I was as calm as I was going to get. I looked up at him. He had a great big grin planted plainly on his face. I growled at his pleasure.

"Down kitty. I won't kill you as long as I get rid of the pesky hedgehog's flesh and blood."

I gritted my teeth. "And why should I believe you? I could've been killed last time."

He folded his hands on top of the desk. "That was because you struggled. It wasn't my fault that you were nearly killed."

"Says the man who was in control of the machine." He frowned and I smirked. "So I guess you want to put me into that machine again, huh?"

"After you are weakened."

"Heh. Well, let me tell you something Eggman: No matter what you throw at me I won't accept defeat. I _will _come out victorious. I _will_ take you down. I won't let you take her away. And I won't let you use me to get to Sonic and the others."

"Is that so?" I saw a hint of a smile.

"I believe that you underestimate my capabilities and will power."

"Even if your opponent is powered by chaos energy?"

"What?" Chaos energy? How was he able to get any of the Chaos Emeralds?

He smiled again. The sight of it made my skin crawl. I felt uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. "Take her to her doom."

"More like another toy that will be completely destroyed." The bot took me away. I still didn't struggle. Why use energy to escape and try to find where the machine that he built is when the bot could just take me to it. It took the elevator to the third floor and then used a door in the ceiling. Blasters from its feet took us through the door and then eased us onto the roof.

I saw something dark and metallic. It was blocking the sun. At first, I thought it was part of the building but then it grew... Legs came from under the block of metal. Arms came from the sides of the block. A round head made its home on the very top of the block robot. It was huge. I was surprised that the building was still standing. It should have weighed almost twice as the main building. A thought came to me.

"_Could be, but why would Eggman build a hollow robot?"_

I thought about it. "Chaos energy." I whispered out loud.

"_He's bluffing."_

"_I don't think so. He's not that good of an actor and he wouldn't throw the name of something so powerful all willy nilly."_

"_Would you stop looking at the good that isn't there?"_

"_Oh, shut up!"_

The bot let me go and retreated back inside. I looked at my adversary of the moment. The empty block stared down at me. I was so focused on contacting my staff that I didn't take notice that the robot's arm crept behind me. It slapped me into the air. My back stung but only for a moment. I came down sliding on the concrete that made up the roof of the school. I found myself holding onto the edge of the roof. I knew that my face, arms and legs were full of scratches and cuts. I could feel the stinging and tasted blood on my lip. I noticed some long cuts on my arm that held onto the edge. Then I felt something around my waist. I looked down for a split second just to make sure that the belt was there and that I wasn't getting my hopes up. I asked for its power. I felt better as if the cuts and scratches weren't there anymore. My battle attire replaced my red sundress. My shoes for the first time changed into purple and white sneakers, I didn't think about it too much. Then my helmet replaced my glasses. Looking at my arm that was still hanging on I noticed that the scratches were healing. Must be another perk to the whole Protector package. I pulled myself up and stood tall, well, as tall as I could get.

I called for my staff. If it were really hollow then I'd be able to go right through it with ease. With staff in hand I ran to the robot. I jumped towards it. I held my staff above my head but not too far from my body. I spun in the air with it as if I was a torpedo. I went right through it. But it didn't go down like it was supposed to. I remembered that it was running on Chaos Emeralds but this thing was hollow. I wasn't sure if this thing had any weapons at all. Some sort of laser, a canon, machine guns, something. It didn't seem like Eggman to leave his robot without some kind of weaponry. Even if it was running on chaos energy. There was something that I just wasn't quite grasping.

The next thing I knew, I was smacked into the air again. My staff probably was on the roof still. This thing wasn't going to give me time to think now was it? How could it still be standing? Usually they go down when you blast right through the middle of them. This thing had nothing inside; it should've fallen apart. This thing was strong because of the Chaos Emeralds that power it but it had to have some sort of wiring to get the energy from the Emeralds to the robot.

The bot was suddenly in the air with me. It could fly this whole time? It stretched out its claws trying to grab me. I flipped, cart wheeled, span around and almost danced to get away from the claws that would retract and then come back. After so many attempts, I noticed that the roof of the school was getting closer and closer. I decided to hitch a ride on Block's head. Figured it was an appropriate name. Small things came from Block's shoulders. They made small clicking sounds. I let go and spread my body to slow down my fall. The small things shot beams of light at me.

They only landed one hit: the tip of my shoulder. My shoulder was skinned really but it hurt like crazy. My staff came to me instantly. I span it around in front of me making sure that it wouldn't hit me again. Okay, so it looked like Block had had weapons after all. But why didn't he use them when I drilled that hole into him?

I noticed that Block's claw was coming for me. I let him grab me. Better than falling flat on my face on the school's roof. But then he landed and started squeezing me. The good news though, my arms were free. I used my staff to break through Block's ligament. The claw released me as I fell. I found myself spinning until I landed in a squat on the ground with one hand on the roof, my staff held in the other behind my back.

Suddenly, a shadow was cast over me. I felt something was closing in on me but before I could move I felt a force on my back. I had a feeling that I made quite the dent in the concrete. The pain surged through my body; starting at my back and slowly making its way throughout my body. It felt hot to be in that helmet but at least it protected my face from a major makeover. I held my staff weakly next to me. I heard Eggman's voice. "Sorry, I should've had him running on more than one Chaos Emerald." More than one? So that was why he was so fast just then. "I'd stay down if I was you."

I didn't. I wasn't about to let him push me around. I muscled enough strength to get up slowly. I winced as I moved my back. I used my staff to help me up by pushing down on it. For a moment, I held onto it for dear life. Then I pulled away from it. I looked at Block, staff in one hand and both my heart and breathing were working over time. I just wanted to know one thing: "How'd you get the Chaos Emeralds?"I knew his voice came from Block but I also knew that he wasn't inside of Block.

He laughed. He was hidden somewhere or was in his little flying contraption. I didn't care, I just wanted answers. "I found them of course."

"Don't you dare lie to me?"

"I wasn't lying. Sure first I snatched them from Tail's lab when I used that portal –"

"Ah-ha. Thief!"

"However, I had to look for them again when I landed"

"Then why did you attack last year without even mentioning them?"

"You didn't notice they were missing?" I froze. I didn't want to answer him. He noticed my silence. He laughed. "Three Chaos Emeralds and you all didn't take notice?"

"Shut up. Talk is cheap. Let's end this."

"All right but I don't' think you'll like how this ends."

"Oh I think I will."

In the blink of an eye, Block was gone and I felt a sharp pain in my back. I let go of my staff. I closed my eyes not realizing that my helmet would get hit by his claw. My nose hit my helmet. He was playing one bot volley ball with me as the ball. One hit after the other the pain was too much. "Cut it out!" Tears started to form and I cursed myself. When he stopped, he held me by the back of my shirt. I went limp. Everything hurt. I couldn't move my hand without a feeling of lightning burst through them.

"Haven't you had enough yet?"

I gasped out, "I'm taking this thing down one way or another." Just have to figure out how.

* * *

**Had to leave you with a cliffhanger. Don't hate me. I'll update soon. Later.**


	25. Chapter 25

Angie's POV

Okay, Block had three Chaos Emeralds, was hollow and was being controlled from the outside. Usually robots weren't hollow and going through the middle would mean that you went through crucial parts or wiring that made the bot work. But because he was hollow I didn't go through anything important and because of the three Chaos Emeralds he stood strong; he couldn't even collapse under his head. His head. I smiled as I came to a realization.

"What's with the smile? Has he knocked some sense into you?"

"Actually, yes."I knew what to do but I didn't know if I had the strength to do it.

"_Should I –"_

"_No, I can do this. Besides, you'd feel just as much damage as I do."_

Then I noticed a purple glow. I looked down to find that the glow was coming from the Power Gem. Power Gem. I mentally slapped myself. Of course, I could obtain energy from the gem that was created with the power of the gods. I smiled even greater before I noticed that Block was lowering me into a tube. I saw that thing before. I gritted my teeth.

"_I won't let you go Annie. No matter what."_

"_You're a true friend."_

The glow brightened as I closed my eyes and breathed in slowly. I felt the energy flow through me. The pain was mostly gone; I could still feel a slight sting in my back. I faked faint until Block released me. I jumped right out of the tube before it closed me in. My little sense of victory was soon gone when I was flicked into the air again. I didn't feel a thing that time. I smirked. I knew I'd get a good shot from the air, especially if Block came up again. I faced downward with my body spread out.

As I hoped, Block came up. My staff came back into my hand as I positioned myself like before when I went right through him. I aimed my body to be right above his head. I span myself around just as before getting faster and faster. It was like I was a power drill.

When I broke through his head, I called my staff off and stopped to grab the Chaos Emeralds. The little guns came out again but didn't fire at me. Instead, they went haywire and started shooting in opposite directions. Before those things harmed anything else, I took one of them with one hand and shot the other before I kicked the one I had in control off the bot. Block hit the ground and completely caved in. I fell with the Chaos Emeralds cradled in my arms. I landed on a pile of scrap metal. My hind end hurt a little bit but I paid no attention to it.

Block was a pile of heap, the Chaos Emeralds were cradled in my arms and Annie was still with me. All I had to do was free those people below me, get Eggman locked up again and then get my report card. I stood up carefully knowing that the metal could move and I'd fall again. I saw a square piece of metal and used it to slide down the pile.

"I bet you feel so accomplished." I gritted my teeth. His voice was still coming from a small box with a speaker near my foot. I was about to crush the voice box when a new voice came through it.

"Angie, are you okay?"

I smiled. "Fine Cream." As much as I wanted to know why she was here I didn't ask.

"Sonic is on his way."

"Already here Cream."

I turned halfway around to find Sonic. "Sonic." I sighed.

"Come 'ere squirt." He held his arms out to me. I felt my knees give way under my weight because someone was here for me to lean on. I kneeled as I came into his arms. The Chaos Emeralds were still in my arms so I just accepted his hug. He patted my back as he told me, "You were great. You did good."

"Thanks."

"No, thank you."

"For what?"

"Getting the Chaos Emeralds of course." He let me go. And gave me a smile and a wink.

"No problem." I held them out to him. He lifted his hand, palm facing me.

"Hold onto them until Tails takes him off your hands."

"He's here too?" He opened his mouth to say something but smiled again. I felt three individuals behind me.

"Not just me." I smiled as I recognized Tails' voice. I got up and turned around. I noticed the two individuals behind him. He flew towards us with the bat and echidna not too far behind.

"Hi Tails."

"Hi Angie. It's nice to see you again." I noticed that he was looking at the Chaos Emeralds.

"Are you talking to me or the Chaos Emeralds?" I teased. He blushed.

"Sorry, I've just been worried sick. That and Knuckles was planning on clobbering me if I didn't get the Chaos Emeralds back tonight."

"I see." That was when Rouge and Knuckles joined us. They looked at me curiously. "I hear I've not only saved my school but also Tails' hide." I held them out to Tails and he took them.

Knuckles smirked at me. "You really are Sonic's daughter."

The words took me by surprise but I decided to laugh it off, well giggle it off. "More like his loyal pupil."I took off my helmet and shook my hair out. I sandwiched my helmet between my hip and my hand.

"Ah, so you're Angie?"

"Indeed I am. And you must be Rouge the Bat and Knuckles the Echidna." I smiled triumphantly. They nodded.

There wasn't that much change to Knuckles. However, there was a scar that stretched across his chest, through the white crescent on his chest. I figured that it was either a battle scar or he got Rouge really fired up.

Rouge on the other hand, went through quite the transformation. Much less makeup on her face, only lipstick and mascara. Her suit gone, replaced by a white sleeveless shirt with black caprice. She looked more mother like. Guessed she took the whole mother thing seriously because I couldn't imagine her going through such a drastic wardrobe change otherwise.

At that moment, I was glad that I could control what Annie heard inside and outside my head. I never mentioned to them that they were really characters in this world that somehow came to life. I didn't have the heart to tell them but sooner or later they'd see a game commercial or some merchandise that'll leave them suspicious. I wouldn't be able to lie to them then so I've just been hiding it from them the best that I could. Of course I haven't thought about that since they came around. The good thing that came out of it was that the world accepted them because fans came together and convinced the leaders around the world that they meant no harm.

"Well, come on. We'd best go and act like I had nothing to do with that pile of heap over there." I pointed with my thumb behind me. I called off the Power Gem and my dress and my glasses returned to me along with the white flats that were originally on my feet.

In the hall, I saw that everyone was buzzing around. My mom hugged me. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks Mom." I smiled, glad that she was okay.

"I just wish that your dad was here. He'd have followed you and got a front row seat."

"You there." I turned around. A news woman and a camera man came over to me. I recognized her from WGN. "What happened to you?" I guessed I had more cuts than I thought.

"Eggman kidnapped us all."

"What did he want?"

"Information on the whereabouts of Sonic and his friends."

"Tell me, was it Sonic who saved the day?"

"I would think so."

"Did you witness the fight?"

"No." She sighed and left. Eventually, the principal had enough and wanted everything to go back to the way they were earlier. The police left before the reporters did because a bank was being robbed somewhere.

Just as the reporters left, Eric came in with his mom. He spotted me going back in line and raced to me. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing. Eggman came and tried to bait Sonic." He looked at me shocked. "Do I look that bad?"

"Well, no. I mean you might want to do something about that gash on forehead." I looked up as if I could see. He turned to his mom who was behind him. "Mom you have napkin or something?" She pulled out a small package of tissues and handed them to him. He turned back to me and pulled one out. He pressed the tissue softly against my forehead. I winced a bit as a stinging feeling came. "Sorry." I blushed as he kept wiping the blood of my forehead.

I looked down and saw a few red marks on my arms and legs. They were small but since the Gem can only do so much for me it had to leave me with some kind of cuts and scratches. After all, it's been that way since it was created. Magic can't solve all your problems.

"You might want this." I looked at Eric's mom as he took the band-aid from her.

"Thanks," I told her.

"You're welcome. Poor dear." She looked away from me and started talking to my mom.

I didn't know where exactly the cut was so I asked Eric if he could place it on my head.

"Sure." He took it from my hand and placed the band-aid on my forehead.

"Thanks."

Then the principal came on the intercom and told everyone to go home. They would mail our report cards. We started to walk out with our moms behind us chatting.

"So much for finally seeing our final grades this year."

"At least we're all alive. We could've been killed." I told him angrily.

"Sorry sorry. Change of subject. You going to the party next week?"

"Yup."

"Is Daniel coming?"

"Well, it's the least I could do after he invited me to a BSB concert tomorrow night."

"Who?"

"The Backstreet Boys. I'm sure I brought them up a few times."

"You have?"

"Yes, remember that week when we swapped our iPods?"

"Oh yeah." He looked out into space thinking of who knows what. "Still can't believe I ended up listening to them after two days of nothing."

"Yeah well, your punk didn't really do me kindness either."

"How could I give in?" He looked confused and desperate.

"Chill it's not like I'm dragging you to see them live in concert."

"Thank goodness. I just feel sorry for Daniel."

"Are you kidding me? He loves their music."

"What did you do to him?" He looked scared.

"Nothing, it was his mom who got him to listen to them. When we got together he just thought it would be a great thing for us to do."

"You two scare me, you know that, right?"

I looked at him with a half smile. "What have we done?"

"You two are young teens… who are dating and there's no problems."

"It's not like we're robots. We just know each other that well."

"How?"

"Easy, we've known each other for like six years."

"Well I've known Charlie since we were two. You don't see me not having a fight with him at all."

"You're young. You'll grow out of it."

"Maybe."

"You will, once you two have girlfriends and need each other's help."

He looked at me with a look that said 'you've got to be kidding.' I smiled.

* * *

**Okay, so I think I'll add the concert sometime this week. **


	26. Chapter 26

**Told you I'd have it up this week. Man, this one took me a while. This is THE longest update I've ever done. And I don't normally use the whole lyrics to a song or really any lyrics but I just had to use the whole thing on this one and who knows... I just might start giving you all a bit more on the songs that mention or have mentioned.**

**Obviously these songs belong to the Backstreet Boys and their label.**

**Enjoy**

* * *

Angie's/Annie's POV

So, it was right after the opening act that the whole scene sunk in. There I was, with my boyfriend, at a Backstreet concert. And no one was staring at us because they were too excited about the men that we all came to see. Sonic, Amy, Cream, Tails, Knuckles, Rouge… even Shadow and Star came with. I knew that Daniel had some connections but landing tickets for all ten of us (excluding the two that get in for free because they weren't physically there) was amazing. He didn't go into details but it was sweet that he even tried. I admired that he takes chances.

However, even though I was surrounded by people who cared about me I still got that funny feeling in my stomach. My breathing felt like I was practically gasping for air after I pulled out of the water. I felt a little heat, probably because of all the excitement in the air. I didn't sweat but it surprised me that not even a small drop came to me. Then again I wouldn't want this outfit that Annie chose specifically for this night to get all sweaty. Somehow, she was able to talk me into a red halter top blouse that had small ruffles roll down in a V in the middle of my chest. I also wore jean skirt. I honestly had no idea why I let her talk me into shopping for this.

"Hey," Daniel whispered in my ear, "you're going to be okay." The audience was really pumped then. Then after a few moments everyone sat back down when the lights came back on. Looks like the boys will have to keep us waiting. "Need some water?" I looked at him thankful that he worries about me. But also I felt rotten because even though I'm not leading him on, I feel that if I have to leave him it'll feel that I was.

"Yeah, maybe it'll calm my nerves." He handed me the bottle water that he bought earlier at a concession stand. I took a sip and felt the cool water run down my throat. The feeling calmed me down a bit. "Thanks."

"Believe me, once they hit that stage you won't hold in your excitement."

"I hope."

"Trust me. We're going to have a good time."

The lights dimmed into complete darkness. We all knew what that meant. At that very moment we all sprang out of our seats and screamed in excitement. A small video introduction played and then a curtain came down revealing the stars. It felt natural at that moment. As if… there was nothing wrong to do at a time like this. All of us were excited, well, some more than others considering the individuals in our little group.

Annie and I agreed to switch between songs. I had to let her have as good of an experience as me, it was only fair. The same with Daniel and Caleb. The only downside was that even though one of us had to be inside we could still hear each other and hear whatever the person outside could hear. Meaning that the loudest scream I could hear came from inside my head. I just knew that we both would have headaches when this was over and sometime with very bad hearing.

Somewhere in the middle, the guys excused themselves. I wondered why before I grew excited to the music of _Bye Bye Love. _The girls and I sang along. We danced a bit just like we did when the boys were here. As much as I liked having fun with the girls I did miss Daniel enjoying himself with me. I felt a really strong empty feeling inside me when the song ended and Daniel still wasn't back yet.

Women were still screaming after the song ended and the lights went out again. After a few seconds that lights came back to the stage all of it on the performers. They were on stools with mics near them. AJ raised his arm almost like he was going to wave.

"What up Chicago!" The whole arena screamed. I felt the vibration as the many voices merged into one. There was so much power that these boys could bring to their fans it almost scared me. "It's good to be here with all you… lovely people."

Brian said, "Wow, what have we done to deserve fans like you?" He smiled and winked from what I was able to make out. Again, an eruption occurred.

Howie spoke. "Well, Brian, Backstreet fans have always been the best fans around. Am I right Chi-Town?" He pumped his fist up at the end of his last sentence. More excited screams.

It looked like Nick was about to say something but the screams were so loud that he couldn't even start. It took a few moments for the crowd to chill out. "Now, as much as we love fans like you we're going to have to leave you all for just a little while. We have some special guests who would love to take our place for a bit." There was quite the fuss as to who the special guests were. However, more people just went with it and screamed anyway.

"_Who do you think it is?"_

"_I don't know Annie. Could be anyone." _But whoever it is, I sure hope they don't get booed off the stage.

"Now, we'll be back soon." Brian reassured us.

"But we expect you guys to welcome them like you've welcomed us." Howie came in with.

"Can you do that for us?" AJ asked. Screaming fit.

"All right, see ya in a bit." Nick said,

The lights went out again. And before I could let Annie take control spotlights appeared on stage. We couldn't take each other's place. Five individuals had their heads down while they sat on the stools that the Backstreet Boys sat in only a few moments ago. In the light they appeared to almost be glistening; just a faint glow. I looked at them with wide eyes and my mouth slightly opened. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned to find Amy. She whispered to me, "Can you believe this?" I thought about it. A part of me was touched but another part was confused. Sure, I suppose they had the capability but to actually do it. I couldn't believe it.

A familiar sound made me look at one of the two screens in the arena. From left to right were Daniel, Knuckles, Sonic, Tails, and Shadow. They sang together lyrics that I knew would get to our hearts.

_I'd go anywhere for you_

_Anywhere you asked me to_

_I'd do anything for you_

_Anything you want me to_

I knew that this was all Daniel's idea but I didn't think the others would've done it with him. They sounded great. I knew that at least Daniel and Tails could sing but Sonic, Knuckles and Shadow must've been holding out on us. The girls and I had to lean on each other to keep ourselves from falling. Sure, individually we heard Sonic and Daniel but just the fact that they were actually singing on stage made our hearts melt.

At the end the crowd gave them some love but not as much as they gave the Boys. Sonic said, "Hello Chicago!" At the crowds up roar Sonic's confidence and excitement escalated. The others grinned at the reaction of the audience. They seemed a bit more comfortable with what they were doing, Tails and Daniel especially. They had looks that said that they were right at home on stage.

For a moment, I imagined what it would be like if Daniel became a pop star either solo or in a group. My boyfriend the pop star. I liked the idea. Seeing him in concert, him giving a show, girls screaming his name. Afterwards, I'd go to his dressing room and spend some time with him. He could leave the next day for a few months or even a year. I'd wait for him or travel with him. There would and there isn't a day when he never struck my mind. It would only intensify if he did.

"I bet none of you were expecting us huh?" An eruption happened that nearly blew my brains out. "Now, the guys and I are up here because there are five special ladies that… have a special place in our hearts." The rows near us looked at us and eventually the whole stadium was trying to get a look at the girlfriends and wife of the five guys who had the audacity of performing at a Backstreet concert. I knew that they were just curious but it felt as if they were accusing us of a crime we didn't commit. I was afraid that at any moment they would pounce on us and take us to the big house. It was weird having that attention because we didn't do anything. The guys were up there with the spotlight not us.

"Looks like they narrowed it down to the correct people." Tails got up from his stool and Sonic got up with him.

"But is that a good thing?" Daniel said. He stood up. "Now it won't be a surprise to them when we bring them down." That rang in my ears for a few moments. They wanted us to go on stage?

"Well now that ruins the surprise." Knuckles said as he waved his hand ever so elegantly at us. We actually weren't so high up. We didn't have floor seat but still got a good view of the boys from where we were seated. Knuckles stood up. I started to notice that they were coming into a sort of triangular formation. I got the feeling that as soon as Shadow got out of his seat they'd start on another song.

Shadow said, "Don't be hard on the boy. He didn't mean any harm." He got up. They all moved a few steps away from the stools before the crew took them away.

Sonic said, "Well." He looked around. "There's only one thing left to do." We all knew what he meant. He smiled and so did the other four. "Amy."

"Cream."

"Annie."

"Rouge."

"Star." Their heads moved down. I let Annie have control. I had the feeling that she was meant to hear this more than I did.

* * *

That wasn't Daniel singing anymore, it was Caleb. As soon as we heard the music starting to play we started screaming. We still hadn't gotten over the fact that they were really doing this.

"This isn't happening?" Miss Rouge yelled over the other screaming fans. Cream, Mum, Star and I shared a look at each other.

"We know!"

"This just isn't Shadow's cup of tea. I didn't know what to think when he said he would come." Star said.

"Knuckles and I didn't even know who they were until you all came back let alone like their sound."

"Sonic can't stand being in the same place for too long unless he's asleep. I can't see him going through rehearsals."

"Tails doesn't do much if it's not machine related." I was quiet for a while. I saw them coming into the dance for the chorus of _Lover boy._ I didn't want to believe it but Daniel and Caleb would do this.

"_I should've seen this coming."_

"_You probably would've figured it out or that something was up to say the least if you weren't so focused on the animals."_

"_Hey, don't you be bringing my babies into this. They need me."_

"_Whatever."_

"Well?"

"Huh, what?"

"Star asked, I guess again, "Would Daniel and Caleb do something like this?"

I nodded. "Yeah. They love their music and they like to dance." I pointed to them. We all stared at them before we started dancing and singing along like everybody else.

I couldn't believe that Mr. Hedgehog could actually sound higher than he normally does. Mr. Knuckles' voice gave a sense of mystery and strength. Uncle Tails' voice sounded proud, confident, and content. Caleb, oh Caleb sounded twelve and adorable. I just wanted to sprint to the stage and kiss him as hard as I could. Sure, physically he wasn't there but neither was I. Besides, if it was we or Angie and Daniel out kissing it wouldn't make a difference unless those people knew that two harbored a body.

They ended with grins on their faces and their arms folded on their chests, leaning toward the audience. They loved them but maybe it was because they were singing Backstreet and that's what all these people paid to hear. Even with those grins I knew that this was a one-time thing. And that we won't let them forget this night. This was the most amazing thing ever.

Looking at Caleb in Daniel's body I noticed a sort of glimmer in his eyes. I had a feeling that that was my cue to let Angie have her body back.

* * *

This was too good to be true and we all knew it. And yet, there they were, shining like stars. The stage grew dark. Then, I felt a strong wind that nearly knocked me over to the side. I felt someone take my hand. Bright lights came over us. I looked at Daniel and he grinned down at me. I dug my head into his shoulder. Partially because the lights bothered my eyes and mostly because everyone had a nice look at us. He wrapped an arm around me and brought me closer to him. He kissed the top of my head.

"I'm gonna love you the best that I can." I heard them all say simultaneously. I saw that his mic near his mouth. I heard music come from the band. It was music I couldn't recognize. But then I heard Sonic's voice and I smiled automatically.

_Sonic:_

_Oh,  
Some say that love isn't fair,  
But they don't know you and me,_

_Tails:_

_And when they tell me that love doesn't last that long,_

_Sonic:_

_That's when I look at you,_

Daniel:

_And it's alright,  
Just let me lead you,_

All:

_It's okay if you close your eyes,  
I'll be standin' by your side,  
I'm gonna love you the best that I can,  
You're my heart and you're my best friend,  
And I promise 'til the end, Sonic: (yeah),  
I'm gonna love you the best that I can Sonic: (that I can),_

Daniel:

_Time cannot tear us apart Sonic: (no, no, no),  
We're stronger than yesterday (yeah),  
Knuckles:_

_And though we've travelled so far you're still close to me,  
Love changes everything,_

Sonic:

_I know that it's alright_

_Daniel:_

_Just let me lead you Sonic: (let me lead you),  
Knuckles: (Yeah)_

All:

_It's okay if you close your eyes Sonic: (it's okay),  
I'll be standin' by your side,  
I'm gonna love you the best that I can,  
You're my heart and you're my best friend,  
And I promise 'til the end Sonic: (yeah),  
I'm gonna love you Knuckles :(gonna love you) the best that I can,_

Tails:

_You're the views and the valleys,  
You're not alone,_

_All:_

_And when the worlds upside down,  
Daniel:_

_You know, I'm there,_

_Sonic:_

_And anytime I feel afraid,  
All:_

_That's when I look at you,_

Sonic:

_With the best that I can,_

_All:_

_I will love you Sonic: (I will love you),  
The very best I can  
Sonic: (The best that I can),  
Daniel: (With every breath I take)  
All:_

_From this moment, 'til the very end,_

_Sonic: _

_I'm gonna love you Knuckles:(gonna love you) the best that I can Knuckles:(the best that I can),_

All:

_It's okay if you close your eyes,  
I'll be standin' by your side,  
I'm gonna love you the best that I can,  
You're my heart and you're my best friend (yeah),  
And I promise to the end, (yeah),  
I'm gonna love you the best that I can,  
I'm gonna love you Daniel: (I'm gonna love you),_

Daniel:

_The best that I can_

All the while they brought to the stage. I was crying tears of joy by the time that we reached the stage. The light grew stronger. I felt beads of sweat starting to form but I didn't care. I looked at Daniel with love and adoration. When they finished, the crowd went wild.

Daniel took a step to the side and waved his arm toward me. He smiled and I shook my head smiling. I wasn't the one who had the guts to perform in front of so many people. I took his hand that was extended towards me anyway and pushed it up as high as I could. Suddenly, I was thankful that Annie made me wear the only high-heeled shoes I owned. He pulled our hands down and then gave me a quick peck on my cheek. I smiled shyly at him.

To tell the truth, I wanted more than just a peck on the cheek. I was full of love that I just wanted to slam my lips onto his. I didn't care that all those people were there to witness, so I did. For the first time I paid no mind to the where and when. I just wanted his kiss. I loved him and I'd be damned if the gods thought that he was no good for me. He brought his hand to caress his cheek as I wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt myself melting into him.

Then, there was this piercing sound that went through the whole arena and made us flinch and we pulled away from each other. We covered our ears.

"Looks like you dropped your mic lover boy." I couldn't believe my eyes. Nick Carter grinned and picked up the mic. He handed it back to Daniel.

"Thanks man." Daniel said into the mic.

"No prob." He looked at me and said, "So you must be Miss Perfect?" I could've dropped dead right then and there. Was he talking to me? Was he _really_ talking to me?

Everything was silent. I felt like an idiot for not saying anything. I wanted to open my mouth but somehow it became the heaviest thing you could lift. I couldn't even move anymore. Everything felt like it was glued together. The whole scene just then felt overwhelming to me. I was fine when my boyfriend brought me to the stage, when all eyes were on us. Why wasn't I fine when Nick Carter asked me a simple question?

I felt fingers entangle with mine. I could move again. I turned my head to find Daniel smiling reassuringly at me. I took a deep breath and he handed me the mic.

"Well… I wouldn't say perfect." I said as innocently as I could.

"But you are to me." Daniel said into the mic in my hand. Everyone clapped.

At the sound of it, I felt a familiar sensation. It made me look back at my times in the choir. I still did it but this was a whole different animal. I wasn't in the choral uniform but I sure recognized applause. The crowd's applause and their acceptation of you pumps you up. It's as if the energy of the crowd energizes you. It's a feeling that you've brought something to these people that otherwise they wouldn't have seen or heard. I loved performing for people and knowing that they like our hard work.

Pretty good way of starting off the summer if you ask me.


	27. Epilogue

Angie's/Annie's POV

It was time, the time had come for me to leave Earth and start anew. Well, sort of. I'd be there with Annie but this was for her. So that she wouldn't have to hide anymore and so that Sonic and Amy could take full responsibility for her. They wanted to be her parents. And who are we to not at least let them see her grow up from her teen years. My parents had fifteen and a half years with me so they'd already seen me grow as little as I did physically but mentally I sure blossomed before their eyes.

I stood a short distance away from the portal that would take Annie and the others home. It was the portal that would take me to an alien planet. As much as I like to travel this wasn't going to be your ordinary family vacation. I would be there until we were separated and we could part ways as friends. What made it worse was that Daniel and Caleb would stay here. I couldn't blame him. He found that his family finally seemed ideal. His brother was in better control, his mom and step-dad act as if they were in the honey moon stage again, his step-dad is finally bonding with him and family bonding didn't seem so out of the usual as it did before. I couldn't take that away from him.

I honestly couldn't believe that this was happening. I was actually going to leave home, the sanctuary, the… PLANET! I was leaving the only place I called home. Only Mom, Dad, and Crytst were there in the sanctuary to see me off. I'd be back next summer. Winter Break would always be in Mexico. Spring Break, well we'd see.

I remembered when the sanctuary was under construction. Both sides of the family came to help out. Sure, it was a lot to ask for but they pulled through for me. The whole family worked together in harmony; no fights, no arguments, no bad talking behind each other's backs. Yup, nothing like a huge project to strengthen a family's bond.

I turned away from the portal and looked at all the familiar faces one last time. My parents and sister had tears in their eyes. I had just a suit case in my hand.

Earlier that month, Sonic and Tails made trips to bring my sort-of-shared belongings to Mobius. My knitting work. My books in their proper shelf with some that couldn't fit in it. Most of my clothes were there too; I didn't want to trouble Amy with a whole new wardrobe just because she felt the need to for her two special girls. The rest was in my suitcase. My parents insisted that I have my own suitcase for my visits.

"Ready to go?" I looked to my left to find Sonic grinning at me.

"Take your time." I looked to my right to find Amy with an apologetic look on her face.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"_It's time to close this chapter Angie."_

"_I know." _I smiled as I felt myself melt away only to brought back in just to peel away again sometime soon.

* * *

I felt a hand on my shoulder as soon as I came out. I turned to Pop. "Ready to go home?" I smiled as I turned around towards the portal. Before I could take another step, Pop asked, "Can I take that?" He pointed at the suitcase.

"Sure." He took it and then he and Mum both took one of my hands. They gave each other a look, as if they were talking without actually saying anything. They smiled down at me and I smiled back. It would be nice to seem more like a normal family on our part anyway. We walked through the portal as a family.

On the other side, my new home stood in all its glory. It looked like a giant cottage really but it looked perfect. It fit with our family's lifestyle: rustic, but practical. It didn't stick out too much from the forest that made its home behind the house. I looked down at the ground and noticed that I was on a dirt road. The forest called to me more than the house did but I promised Angie we'd get settled in before starting to explore. I wondered if there were any neighbors that weren't more than maybe a kilo away.

"Want to explore the house before the forest?"

"Sounds great." We went inside. Pop let go of my hand and Mum pulled me up the set of stairs that were not too far away from the door. Before I took a step up the stairs I was able to catch a glimpse of each side. On the right side was the kitchen while on the left side was the living room. A small hallway was at the top of the stairs. There were four doors in the hallway. I knew that one of them had to be the one to my room, well, the room that Angie and I will have to share until she could go home without me. She pulled me to the end of the hallway where there was only one door to go in through.

She looked back at me and said, "Close your eyes."

"Mum." I whined.

"Come on come on close your eyes."

"_Just do it. You know she's stubborn."_

"_But so am I."_

"_Yeah, but you have me to consider so I'm telling you to do as you are told."_

"_It's times like these where I really wish I'd have my own mind."_

_She sighed. "It won't be long now."_

"_You'll still visit. Right?"_

"_Of course. You're like my best friend."_

I smiled. "Okay." So I closed my eyes. She pulled me through the doorway. I only took a few steps before she let my hand go.

She told me, "Okay, open them."

"Oh no way!" It was just like on Earth. The bed stood directly in front of you not too far away from the door. The headboard touched the wall facing you. On either side of the bed were small side tables. One had a small lamp and a clock on top of it while the other had a remote with many buttons. The bookshelf was against the right wall with another one next to it that only had a few books to call it home. It won't be long before more join them. Another door was next to it. The vanity and dresser were on the other wall. A desk was perpendicular to that door. It had two drawers and two laptops. One I knew was Angie's Dell and the other didn't look like it was made on Erath. I guessed that that one was meant for me. A normal Mobian made thing for a Mobian girl. The TV stood at an angle on a pure wooden table but you could see it fine from the bed. A purple and a light blue bean bag chair sat right in front of it. The only thing that was different was the one with diagonal blue, pink and purple stripes

Tears of joy made their way to my eyes. This was home.

"_This is great."_

"_Isn't it?"_

"_Just like home."_

"_Yeah, I guess they wanted to make sure that we were both feeling right at home."_

"So you both like it?" Mum asked. I looked at her and was surprised that Pop was next to her.

Somehow Pop was able to make it to my room without me noticing. His arm was snaked around her shoulders. Mum was closer to facing him than me with her hand on the side of his chest. At that moment I remembered that Caleb wouldn't share this new home with me. The tears of sweet, sweet joy turned into bitter, sour tears of sadness. I knew had to answer Mum before I looked like we didn't like it.

"Oh yeah. We love it." Unfortunately, I didn't sound all to convincing. I cursed my emotional side. I tried to smile with all the happiness I could fake.

"You hate it."Mum's smile faded into a deep frown. She seemed sorry. But if it was for me or for her I couldn't tell.

"No no no no. I really – we really like it. It's just that…" I looked at the two beanbag chairs and thought of him. The chair matched his color perfectly.

"_It's okay to miss him. I miss Daniel. We'll help each other live through it."_

"_Thanks. It'll be shame when I have to give you up."_

"_Right back ya."_

Mum, although I didn't notice, must've figured out what I was trying to say because she said, "You miss him already, don't you? Or the two of you miss them."

"Yeah… that covers it up just nicely." I noticed that she was about to come to me and hug but a ring that echoed throughout the house sounded.

"Must be someone at the door." Mum said.

"But we told everyone that they could just come in today." Pop told her.

"Must be Cream and Tails. You know how she can be."

"Can I open the door?" I smiled like a giddy little kid. They looked at me funny. "Come on, it's my first day here and I'm really excited to act like a normal girl for once. Well, you know, as normal as I can be."

They smiled at me. Pop said, "Why don't we all welcome them and you can open the door?"

"Yay." Another ring.

We ran, or Pop and I did in record time. Pop put Mum down for she got a ride in his arms. I opened the door with them behind me.

"Howdy neighbors." I didn't think that I was overreacting when I pounced on him. He held his ground and lifted in me into his arms. I really believed that we were going to be to worlds apart. Then, here he was, on my doorstep. A giant wave of pure love and happiness overcame me and I just couldn't help myself. I had to cling onto him for dear life.

"Whoa easy there girl." I smiled at him as he looked at me. "If I'd known I'd –"

"Shut up just shut up." I plastered my lips on his unleashing my love but he didn't kiss me back. I pulled back. "What's wrong?" I looked at him worried. He jerked his chin forward telling me to turn around. Mum and Pop were looking at us surprised.

"As much as I would love to interrogate you I think that we should leave you two alone for a bit." They went inside but didn't close the door. I had a feeling that they'd expect us inside because it was almost time for lunch.

"Sorry." I told him. "Just got excited." I felt my cheeks getting hotter and hotter. I knew that in just a second I'd be as red as Mr. Knuckles. He smiled at me and gently put me down.

"No need but I believe that I owe you something." I looked at him funny before he grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him. His lips gently caressed mine. When he pulled away I noticed that his eyes color shifted before they turned back to normal. I only saw that once so I knew who was there now.

"Sorry, I just –"

"No need for an explanation." I smiled as, for the first time in nearly a year; I let Angie take control of my body.

* * *

"I can't believe this."

He grinned at me. "Surprise."

"Well that explains why you didn't say anything. But do you not realize how much pain we went through today?" I looked at him a bit upset. He smiled slyly.

"Are you done?" I huffed and crossed Annie's arms over her chest. He kissed her nose and I couldn't help but giggle. I couldn't believe that a year had gone by. And now a new year had begun.

* * *

**Well, that's it. Hope you guys liked it. **

**And soon I'll post up my little Winter Break Special. Until then, I bid you all farewell.**


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